"Global night commute" for Uganda
First it was a vision.... now it’s a reality.....
YES, ''global night commute'' is finally happening here in NZ on Saturday, 27th may.
For those of you who have seen the movie and heard about the situation in Uganda, you would be aware of the daily plight of the Ugandan children who have to travel 27 miles every night to escape the clutches of the rebels. They do this out of fear, out of hope that they they’ll survive. We too hold this event to give them ‘’hope’’. Hope that one day they can sleep peacefully in their homes without any fear or anxiety!
The GNC was held in the USA in April this year and more than 50,000 people participated. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey too lent their support to the cause! We hope to recreate a small movement of our own in NZ to show our solidarity with the Ugandan children as well as supporters of this movement all over the world!
Here are the few details about the event on Saturday
VENUE- AOTEA SQUARE
TIME: MEET AT 7PM
DATE-
27th may, 2006(Saturday)
AGENDA:
1) Assemble at aotea
square by 7pm.
2) 2 hr walk around queen street
3)
screening of the movie and guest speakers giving a
speech
4) African dances, letter writing sessions and art
projects.
5) Stay over at night.
TO-BRING LIST:
1)
Blankets or mats
2) Stationary items (paper, crayons,
markers, envelopes and stamps)
3) A picture of
yourself
4) Warm clothes
5) Snacks and water
6)
Banners (if you can make some)
7) For those under 18,
pals get the liability form I’m attaching with the
mail.
PLS WEAR SOMETHING RED OR BLACK!
MORE
INFORMATION AND DETAILS:
Contact harish on
0212097626
Or e-mail visiblechildren@gmail.com
We are planning to have a banner making session in the Auckland university quad on Saturday between 1-2 pm, come along if you are interested.
Lastly, lets make a night to remember.....Let’s try being the change we want to see in this world… lets show it to the Ugandan children, they are not alone, they are not forgotten, they are not invisible!
Pls forward this mail to as many people as possible because numbers do matter! Hope to see you all on Saturday.
Thanking you for your support,
Invisible
children team,
NZ
ENDS
Invisible Children is
in New Zealand
Facts About ‘The Movement’
- The struggle in Uganda is the longest running war in Africa, and one of the worst crises in the world today, acknowledged as such by the Under Secretary of the United Nations.
- Invisible Children is a non-profit organization concerned with aiding the youth in Northern Uganda.
- Invisible Children is present in Africa and is aiding the youth locally through health care, and mentorship programs, nationally, by assisting Nobel-recognized peace negotiators and internationally, implementing multi-media awareness campaigns around the world.
- In New Zealand, Invisible Children is recognized and supported AIESEC, AUSA, AUSM, Amnesty International, and Oxfam.
- Invisible Children is a grass-roots organization which contributes 98% of donated income directly to youth in Africa.
- Invisible Children is tackling issues so important that celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey have lent her full support. Manifestations of up to 80,000 people have gathered to demonstrate their belief in this movement.
- Due to lobbying by I.C and aid from the international community, The United States of America passed bipartisan Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act on February 2nd 2005.
- Invisible Children recognizes the long-standing support of New Zealand for human rights and peace.
- Already thousands have lent their support to this movement in New Zealand, in particular youth groups which see this threat to the youth of Uganda as a personal threat to the right of youth to live freely.
- We ask that
the New Zealand Government should press the United Nations
and Yoweri Museveni (Ugandan Prime Minister) to do four
things:
1. Financially support Betty Bigombe - chief
mediator in a new peace initiative with the Lords Resistance
Army.
2. Addressing all nations to put pressure on Congo
to change their mandate - Currently the LRA has temporarily
stationed in eastern Congo; by pressuring Congo to force the
LRA back into Uganda – the Ugandan military force can
efficiently do their job
3. End the conflict and protect
the civilians in Northern Uganda
4. Ensure adequate
humanitarian assistance to these Invisible Children in the
Internally Displace Camps and beyond
- Events that are
planned to raise more awareness are:
1. May 27th 2006 –
Global Night Commute – 7 PM Students, youth groups,
teachers, and the concerned public will be commuting through
Down Town Auckland, accompanied by traditional African
drumming, dancing and singing, to raise awareness of the
struggle that the youth of Uganda face today.
o Northern
Uganda is called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world
today because of the lack of attention
o 1.7 million
people forcibly displaced
o An estimated 20- 50,000
children abducted to fight as soldiers
o tens of
thousands of children commuting nightly
o 130 people die
per day in Northern Uganda due to violence.
Official
Website: www.invisiblechildren.com
For further
information please refer to:
Civil Society Organizations
For Peace in Northern Uganda
(CSOPNU)
http://www.nrc.no/UgandaKeyFacts.doc
International
Rescue Committee (IRC)
http://www.theirc.org/news/page.jsp?itemID=28173324
International
Crisis Group
(ICG)
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2346&l=1
Amnesty
International
http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/uganda/reports.do