Join us this year for Amnesty’s
Excitement is building as we approach our 2025 Annual General Meeting, which will convene in Toronto from June 5 to June 8, 2025. This event is an important moment to come together, consider our impact, and look ahead to the urgent challenges facing human rights in Canada and globally.
This year, our staff, members, activists, and Board will come together in solidarity to creatively imagine the future of our movement. By working together to strategically plan and structure how we meet, engage, and organize, we will be better positioned to reach or goals.
Date
June 5–8, 2025
Location
“The George”
George Brown College Residence & Conference Centre
80 Cooperage St
Toronto ON, M5A 0J3
*Registration will open soon.
In the next few weeks, we will update this space with more information about the AGM venue, accommodation and travel, as well as how to participate virtually. We will also provide answers to frequently asked questions. In the meantime, please reach out to members@amnesty.ca if you have any questions or concerns.
The 2025 Youth Leadership Summit
9am–12pm
Annual General Meeting
2pm–6pm
Annual General Meeting
2pm–6pm
Times are tentative and will be confirmed in the next few weeks.
Annual General Meeting
2pm–6pm
Times are tentative and will be confirmed in the next few weeks.
Make sure your membership is up to date! Only Amnesty members are eligible to move and second resolutions, run for election, nominate candidates and vote in the election. Your membership must start 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting to participate in governance activities.
Deadline
(to become a member for the 2025 AGM)
May 6, 2025
Resolutions, including amendments to the By-laws or Standing Orders, may be submitted by any member of the Branch and by the Board of Directors (in accordance with Article 6.05 c of By-law No. 1). View our Resolution Guidelines for more details.
Deadline
(for resolutions, 90 days prior to the AGM)
March 8, 2025, midnight
Find out more about the nomination process to become an elected member of Amnesty Canada’s Board of Directors. If you would like to request a Nomination Form or more information about board positions, please get in touch with the Board Nominations Committee.
Deadline
(if you want to be nominated)
April 14, 2025, midnight
For physical nominations, submits must be postmarked before April 15th and can only be received in our Ottawa and Toronto offices by no later than 4pm EDT on April 30th.
All members will be sent an electronic ballot for Board elections at the end of May 2025 leading up to the Annual General Meeting. Candidate profiles and nomination videos will be shared on the AGM Event website in early May.
Nominations Begin
End of may 2025
At this pivotal moment, we need strong, visionary leaders to join our Board of Directors and Global Delegation. The world is at a crossroads, and Amnesty’s work is more critical than ever. We are looking for passionate individuals with leadership, governance, and nonprofit experience who want to make a tangible impact in shaping our human rights movement in Canada.
By stepping into a leadership role, you will:
Date
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Time
7:00–8:30PM EDT
What to Expect
Hear from current and former Board members and Global Delegation representatives, find out how strong governance enables Amnesty to create meaningful change, and get your questions answered!
2-year term
1 position available
2-year term
4 positions available
(at least 1 position must be held by a youth candidate, aged 18-24)
1-year term
2 positions available
1-year term
1 position available
(must be held by a youth candidate, aged 18-24)
Your leadership and dedication are essential to the success of Amnesty’s mission. We invite you to take the next step in your human rights journey and apply to join our Board of Directors or the 2025 Global Assembly Delegation. Together, we can defend hope and create a brighter future.
For more than 20 years, the Human Rights College for Youth (HRC) has launched young activists and shaped how youth engage in Amnesty’s governance, campaigns, and leadership. Our Activism Team has trained and connected generations of youth leaders who have gone on to lead human rights initiatives, influence decision-making, and drive real change.
The Youth Leadership Summit will be a reimagined version of the Human Rights College designed to:
Current youth leaders, youth and student group representatives, and emerging activists from the Greater Toronto Region are invited. We’ll do our best to ensure regional diversity! The Summit will be youth-led, with a planning team comprising youth leaders and Amnesty’s Activism Team.
*Registration will open soon.
Timely emails with how you can take action to protect human rights.
Inspiring stories and photos showing how your support is changing lives.
Help shape the future of Amnesty by contributing your ideas and views.
You must formally notify us of your choice to become a member and make a financial contribution of any amount at least 30 days before the Annual General Meeting. You will then have the right to vote in elections for board members and on resolutions.
Supporters are those who contribute financially or who take action with Amnesty. This could be anyone from a monthly donor to an online petition-signer.
Supporters are those who contribute financially or who take action with Amnesty. This could be anyone from a monthly donor to an online petition-signer.
Board Chair
Current term concludes June 2025
Agapi Gessesse is a powerful, influential and fearless changemaker. For more than a decade, Agapi has worked to enhance the lives of marginalized youth through her work with Toronto Community Housing and United Way Greater Toronto. She is currently the Executive Director of the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals.
Vice-Chair
Current term concludes June 2026
Geneviève Thériault-Lachance is a lawyer based in Quebec that specializes in corporate accountability. She is particularly interested in corporate ethics and the connection between corruption and human rights violations.
Treasurer
Current term concludes June 2025
Fariha has over a decade of management and technology consulting experience, during which time she strategized, designed, and developed actionable solutions to global and emerging challenges in the public, private, and social sectors.
Director
Current term concludes June 2025
Aidan Sander has been a dedicated member of Amnesty International since he was fifteen. He is currently pursuing a medical degree as part of the Queen’s University Accelerated Route to Medical School in Kingston, Ontario. Aidan is also a Pearson United World College alumnus in Victoria, British Columbia.
Director
Current term concludes June 2025
Hannah Ahamedi is a long-standing member of Amnesty International who has taken various leadership roles on the local, regional and national levels over the past seven years. She is a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, completing her MPhil in African Studies as a Gates Cambridge Scholar.
Director
Current term concludes June 2025
Sarah is an influential journalist, advocate, and academic known for her commitment to anti-oppression and human rights. She currently serves as Director of Content at the environmental alliance Age of Union, where she leads editorial strategy. She previously held the title of Content and Communications Manager at Global Citizen Canada.
Director
Current term concludes June 2025
Michael is a practicing lawyer in the Toronto area. He has been involved with Amnesty since 2008, has worked on staff with Amnesty Australia, and led the section’s campaign team in 2017. He has a deep passion for human rights and Amnesty and is excited to help build our movement.
Director
Current term concludes June 2025
Dastageer works as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Government of Saskatchewan in Canada. His career in public policy started in early 2006 after graduation from the School of Policy Studies at Queens University.
Director
Current term concludes June 2026
Laurin Liu was a Canadian Member of Parliament between 2011-2015 and served as the youngest female Parliamentarian in Canadian history. For years, she has also worked for international philanthropies and NGOs, where she has played a behind-the-scenes role in strategic communications.
Director
Current term concludes June 2026
Aisha Ryan is an experienced human rights researcher and consultant currently based in Islamabad where she designs and implements development projects across Pakistan. She has worked on social impact and human rights projects in Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Guinea, Senegal, and Australia.
