Amnesty 50: Empowerment of Human Rights Activism

27 Mayıs 2011

Empowerment in the era of social media, social networks and a new generation. How can Amnesty stay connected with future generations? AbdelKarim Mardini (Google Middle East & North Africa), Tienchi Martin-Liao (Chinese PEN Center), Francisco van Jole (journalist and Internet expert), James Slevin (author The Internet and Society) and Garance Reus-Deelder ( Clustermanager Communicatie en Campagnes).

Register: http://amnesty.online-inschrijven.nl/
Twitter: #AmnestyNL50

Future of Human Rights Activism
Since the establishment of Amnesty International in 1961, Human Rights and solidarity have been the two main subjects for Amnesty International. In the past 50 years, several geopolitical shifts have taken place. Simultaneously, modern means of communication and new media have made the world smaller. Human rights activism changes along with these developments. In two show&talk evenings, we search for the meaning of this changing world and Amnesty's role within it. With our honoured guests, video fragments, interactive presentations and the audience we focus on two crucial aspects for Amnesty: images and empowerment.

Empowerment of Human Rights Activism
Blogs, twitter and Facebook; today's revolutionist can't do without Internet activism. The masses in Burma (2007), Iran (2009) and recently in the Arab world, were mobilized via social media. This seems to be a major difference with the "traditional ways" of igniting an uprising. Whether the emergence of social media was the engine of these revolutions or just a means, it's evident that the use of these applications is second nature to the new generation of activists.

Part two of Future of Human Rights Activism specifically focuses on connecting here and there, mobilisation and empowerment in the era of social media, social networks and, above all, a new generation. How does Amnesty build a bridge between her members and human rights activists? What can members do to contribute to the cause of the oppressed? How can Amnesty support the struggle of human rights activists? Which possibilities are open to us making use of new technologies, new media and - not the least - new generations? The purpose is to develop a long-term perspective on how Amnesty stays connected with future generations.

With among others AbdelKarim Mardini (product manager Google Middle East & North Africa and developer speak2tweet), Tienchi Martin-Liao (president Chinese PEN Center), Francisco van Jole (journalist and Internet expert), Garance Reus-Deelder ( Clustermanager Communicatie en Campagnes), Marleen Stikker (director Waag Society) and James Slevin (author The Internet and Society and lector Organizations and Social Media Stenden University). Moderator Lennart Booij (presenter VARA and co-founder of BKB).

You can register for this event at http://amnesty.online-inschrijven.nl/

More information about the first day of Future of Human Rights Activism on May 26: www.dezwijger.nl/ImagesOfHumanRightsActivism