UPDATE: Thank you to all of the organizations who attended tonight and all of the performers: Robin Clarke, Josh Zelesnick, R.B. Mertz, Vanessa German and City of Asylum writer-in-residence Yaghoub Yadali; City Council member Corey O’Connor; all letter writers, and all the volunteers that helped make tonight a successful event leading into Human Rights Day week events!

We wrote at least 550 letters tonight!!!
We have many members writing from home and a few more that might float in over the next few days, so I’d say we got close to 600 letters written at this year’s write-a-thon/Human Rights Festival!!

THANK YOU!

REMINDER: We are hosting an informal Human Rights Happy Hour after the Festival on December 12th from 5:30-8:30 pm at Sharp Edge Beer Emporium at 302 S St Clair Street in Friendship. All are welcome to attend for updates following the Festival and to relax and have fun!
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Amnesty International Pittsburgh is happy to announce an expanded version of our annual national Write-a-thon being planned for Monday, December 9, 2013 from 6-9 pm at Calvary Episcopal Church. We are inviting you to commemorate and celebrate International Human Rights Day with us!

In addition to letter writing, several other activities and features are being planned to enrich and expand this event. We’ll have information about local Pittsburgh groups who work for human rights and social justice, and a moving candlelight ceremony.

Participating groups:
ACLU-PA
AID Pittsburgh
American Friends Service Committee
Amnesty International Group 524 (North Hills)
Amnesty International Pitt
Book ‘Em
City of Asylum
Councilman Corey O’Connor
Fight for Lifers West
Global Solutions Pittsburgh
Sierra Club Allegheny County
Thomas Merton Center

Our goal is 1,000 letters written for human rights!!!

Please come down for as long as you can and invite your friends and family to this event open to all ages!
FREE – food and drink provided!
Parking is available in the church lot at no cost.

Download the flyer/poster: pdf jpg

Click HERE to watch Write for Rights 2013 video

If you would like to be involved, as a group or individual, in planning or to help us spread the word, please email Ayres or Chris at amnesty39@gmail.com.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

Not an Amnesty International event.

Take a Trip with Thaddeus Phillips and Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental in 17 Border Crossings

Presented by Kelly Strayhorn Theater

A seasoned world traveler and wildly inventive artist, Thaddeus Phillips embarks on new territory, stripping the stage bare to create a deceptively simple stage voyage that takes audiences to the frontiers of Tunisia, Bosnia, Cuba, Brazil, Colombia, Bali, Czech Republic, Israel, Jordan, Serbia, Slovenia, and Mexico. The performance style uses the Spalding Gray platform as a launching pad to create 17 action-based monologues that draw inspiration from stand-up comedy, the films of Kustarica, the floor shows of the Tropicana in Havana, musicals about Austria, cheap magic, Native myths of the Arizona desert, and Chilli Relleno recipes.

Collected over 15 years of international travel, 17 Border Crossings weaves together real adventures of international border crossings into a dramatic examination of imaginary lines, arbitrary passports and curious customs. It explores a world opened up by the fall of the Berlin Wall, sealed off by the events of 9/11, and reimagined after the protest of Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian fruit vendor who, said ‘enough is enough’ and thus started the revolutions that became known as the Arab Spring.

He ramps his performances up with physical movement, acting, a plethora of authentic-sounding accents in any language he affects, and ingenious stagecraft that includes lighting, the latest high-tech gadgetry and the oldest low-tech slight-of-hand.
– Jackson Dance & Theatre

Read More

Event Details

17 Border Crossings
by Thaddeus Phillips/Lucidity Suitcase Interncontinental
Friday & Saturday, September 27–28 :: 8 PM (Doors & drinks at 7 PM)
Kelly Strayhorn Theater :: Map

Tickets

• $20 General
• $15 15206 Resident
• $10 Student/Artist

Tickets on sale soon

Join members of Amnesty International Group 39 (community group) for our annual picnic held in lieu of our usual monthly August meeting on Monday, August 12 at 6:30 pm.  ALL are WELCOME to attend, whether or not you have been active in the group.  Student group members are also welcome to attend.

Potluck picnic (please label if meat, vegetarian, vegan, GF) (and be prepared to take leftover meat items back home with you). 🙂  Some refreshments provided.

This is a casual event to be held at Group 39 member Chris’s house in Friendship. There will be room to mingle inside and on the deck or yard.  Located near the new Aldi in Friendship. Accessible by 71A, 71C, 77, 87, 82, 86, 64 and 75 buses.  Free on-street parking (permit parking ends at 7 pm).

Please email amnesty39@gmail.com for specific address and other details.

Let’s take some time to celebrate our work so far, and get ready for the coming months of human rights work!!

Amnesty International Pittsburgh is one of many sponsors for this great event.

This will be an opportunity to hear from Robert King, one of the Angola Three, who was held in solitary confinement for 29 years.  Since his release King has worked tirelessly to expose injustices of the American penal system perpetuated against African-Americans and poor people.  We will also hear from family members whose children are in isolation and explore actions that we can take to end prolonged isolation in our prisons.

A panel discussion and Q & A will follow the presentation.  you will have the opportunity to learn how you can help.  Bring your friends!

Share light lunch, books for sale, book signing, and Free Will offering.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

East Liberty Presbyterian Church (enter on S. Highland) 116 S. Highland Ave, 15206

10:30 am – 2:30 pm

Registration is preferred:

Contact  Scilla Wahrhaftig, American Friends Service Committee

Office: 412-315-7423

Email: swahrhaftig@afsc.org