Amnesty International supporters hope the combination of music, sunshine and social justice will help them raise money for human rights.
Tri-City Amnesty members are hosting a barbecue Sunday, Aug. 21 at Lions Park in Port Coquitlam in conjunction with Swing 2 Beat, a four-piece acoustic group that plays a mix of 1930s and 1940s jazz.
"We'll have hot dogs, Caesar salad, cupcakes and water melon, along with a draw for a gift certificate from Pasta Polo," Joy Silver, one of the event organizers, said in a press release. "We hope people will enjoy the afternoon and reflect on how fortunate we are compared to so many others around the world."
Information on Amnesty International and current human rights issues will be available, including petitions calling on the government of Zimbabwe to end discrimination against women and protect human rights defenders.
According to an AI report, a 2005 mass forced eviction program called Operation Murambatsvina left an estimated 700,000 Zimbabweans homeless, with women and children disproportionately affected. Their market stalls were obliterated, destroying their livelihoods. Follow-up government operations that were intended to restore order failed to do so. Women human rights defenders who stand up against these injustices are frequently detained, harassed and mistreated by the police.
The barbecue runs from 12:30 to 3 p.m. in the picnic shelter at Lions Park, Shaughnessy Street at Lions Way in PoCo.
Amnesty International is a global movement committed to defending those who are denied justice or freedom. For information on the Tri-Cities chapter, email Silver at [email protected].
