Amnesty Int'l Marks 50yrs With Youth Summit
SAN FRANCISCO -- As Amnesty International (AI) commemorates 50 years of high-impact human rights work, young activists from across the nation will attend its national youth summit at UC Berkeley where they will participate in skill-building workshops, hear guest speakers and learn how to be effective activists at their schools and in their communities. Destination: Change our World, designed for young people age 14-25, will take place at the International House, University of California at Berkeley, on Thursday, March 17th.
“UC Berkeley’s rich history of student activism and public service is significant and provides the perfect setting for the Youth Summit,” said Stacy Suh, UC Berkeley Amnesty International Club representative and student organizer for the Youth Summit. “It is incredibly exciting to meet and learn from fellow youth activists from all over the country and the world. By the end, participants will be refreshed, inspired, and ready to change our world.”
Students from across the United States are expected to attend the summit. Guest speakers include AI Secretary General Salil Shetty, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) Executive Director Larry Cox, MTV Vice President of Social Responsibility John Jackson, youth death penalty abolitionist De'Jaun Correia and Mariam Aziz, an Egyptian student at American University who has led protests at the White House and Egyptian Embassy. There will also be student representatives from AI Mexico and Canada. The youth summit is a precursor to AIUSA’s Annual General Meeting at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel, March 18-20th.
“It is young people’s fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and unparalleled enthusiasm that preserve the strong tradition of Amnesty International student activism,” said Cynthia Carrion, national youth program coordinator for AIUSA. “Students have always stood at the frontlines of the human rights movement. Their activism is critical to Amnesty International's work.”
