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Building a Civil Rights Coalition at the LSE | This Wed 10th Dec

Avocada | 07.12.2008 11:53 | SOCPA | World

On International Human Rights Day 2008, After 60 Years.. Why Human Rights?
Wednesday 10th December, 6pm Public Meeting (and 3pm Seminar)
New Theatre, Building E, LSE Houghton St WC2 (nearest tube Holborn/Temple)

On the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) creating a global framework for the protection of the rights of everyone, and in this climate of multiple crises, we invite you to consider: do we really have human rights? Can 'rights' help us respond to the challenge of reconstructing society; so that justice, mutual respect and equality prevail? And if so, what concrete actions must we now take?

Evening Speakers include Peter Tatchell, Vivienne Westwood, Hugh Lanning, Teresa Hoskyns, Michael Edwards, Asad Rehman, Andy Worthington and AC Grayling

Format, Topics & Speakers

1. Afternoon Seminar - Prison and Society
3-5pm Room H102, Connaught House Building (on Aldwych)

A. Hicham Yezza, Nicki FRFI, Massah Barnett and others on the politics of Prison & Detention;

B. Professor Michael Edwards, Teresa Hoskyns, Dave Wetzel [Labour Land Campaign] and others on the Politics of Society in the context of Land, LVT, Housing and Lebfevre's Right to the City; and

C. Action proposals, discussion and preparing questions for Evening Conference.

2. Evening Conference - Building a Movement

6-9.30pm New Theatre, Building E, Houghton St

6pm Intros and Initial Presentations

Intro to Project (Ismet Rawat, CAMPACC & Association of Muslim Lawyers)
Heads of State Immunity (Peter Tatchell)
Brazilian Rainforest (Vivienne Westwood)
Reports from 3pm Seminar on Prison and Society
Personal Story (Massah Barnett)

7pm Speaker Sessions

Public Services (Hugh Lanning)
The Environment (Asad Rehman)
War on Terror (Andy Worthington)
Civil Liberties (AC Grayling)

8-9.30pm Audience Q&A Discussion and Action Proposals

Brief Note About Q&A

We want to come out of the day with concrete, shared ideas about how to move forward the human rights movement after our 60-year experience with the UDHR, and more recently the ECHR and HRA. We have chosen the topics, speakers and panellists to provide the potential foundation for a movement based on liberty, dignity and justice for all in the UK and beyond. Furthermore, both the timetable and Q&A format are designed to leave sufficient space to discuss and plan future actions together. We would therefore ask speakers to plan their presentations accordingly: what collective actions we must now undertake? And we would ask participants to do the same in relation to any questions, comments or concrete proposals they put forward. Find attached a list of questions for contributors, as prepared by event organisers. (CAMPACC, LGC, LAI and others)

Also, flier here:  http://www.peopleincommon.org/Why_human_rights_A5_flyer.pdf

Avocada