Write for Rights in Montreal Featuring Alex Neve

Looking around right now I feel a little helpless. There at least 2 active genocides being live streamed to my phone. We have a prime minister who is making billion dollar deals with the UAE whose hands are covered in the blood of the Sudanese people. Russia is about to be the first nation since world war two to acquire significant amounts of land from a sovereign nation by military force. Woman and girls are being put back into the dark ages in Afghanistan. Millions of Rohingya fleeing genocide in Myanmar are stuck in a flood prone region of Bangladesh. And to top it all off our climate change policy (which is needed now more than ever) is regressing on all fronts in North America as we build more pipelines and scale back the transition to clean energy.

But then I remind myself that the largest civilian-led maritime convoy in history, comprising over 50 vessels of varying sizes departing from multiple ports around the Mediterranean actually made it within 1 hour of the shores of Gaza before being completely intercepted by the Israelis. And I remind myself that even before the news of the interception flashed across my screen protestors in Italy and Greece shut down ports, bike races and went on strike on a level rarely seen in support of the flotilla. That is collective action IN ACTION. People got tired of just letting it happen and joined together to form a movement that as you can imagine filled Palestinians with hope and made them feel like they were still a part of this world.

I truly believe that if we’re going to get through the immense challenges ahead of us such that no one is left behind we absolutely need to come together and push for peace. So please join me for a small but meaningful and powerful event where we will get together and simply write letters. These letters will be sent to indigenous peoples, climate activists, journalists and lawyers around the world who have stood up for human rights and been prosecuted for it. We need to remind them that they are not alone and that we hear them.

There will be music, food, drinks and a special appearance by Alex Neve (former secretary general of Amnesty Internation Canada).

If you can donate to help support some of the costs of the event and Amnesty International that would be much appreciated but most of all please bring your wrists and your favourite pen or pencil. We will provide the rest!