Stop Stereotyping

Some advertisements put out by Amnesty International in hopes of ending stereotyping.

<3 and peace, Helena

TyrannyBook

Tyrannybook (http://tyrannybook.com/), which is currently down for the time being, is the clever brainchild of Amnesty International - Portugal, based on social networking statistics.  It takes the same idea as facebook, allowing you to create a profile and "follow" tyrants around the world.  The idea is that millions visit social networking sites in a day, so if we could get people to do that with Tyrannybook, it would shed light on the unfair circumstances for people under tyrant rule across the globe, give hope to those under tyrannical regimes, and give a voice to those who don't have their own.

Tyrannybook is a social network dedicated to the surveillance of some of the world leaders who violate Human Rights the most.  Tyrannybook was born as part Amnesty International's plan for 2010 of getting more involved in social networks, both to gain the visibility inherent to these web platforms, and to facilitate the contact between the causes it promotes and the public. The network aims to generate a global consciousness about the countless atrocities that take place across the globe.  As the name implies, the website is a Facebook clone, and looks almost exactly the same, with the familiar blue giving way to an aggressive red.



Released by Amnesty, the profiles of the tyrants are updated both by the organization itself and by the users, according to the current situation of the countries where they lead. However, as time goes by, it will expand by the addition of new profiles from the Amnesty. It’s up to each user to decide which leaders they are most interested to watch. Between them, users can even become allies, exchanging points of view and discussing current issues.

In this first phase there are ten tyrants in the site: Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Omar Al-Bashir of Sudan, Kim Jong Il of North Korea, Than Shwe of Myanmar, Hu Jintau of China, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Radovan Karadzic of Serbia, Aleksandr Lukashenka of Belarus and Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov of Chechnya.

<3 and peace, Helena

Ignore Us, Ignore Human Rights

I love these advertisements put out as part of Amnesty International's "Ignore Us, Ignore Human Rights" campaign.

<3 and peace, Helena

Make Some Noise For Human Rights

I love these ads for the Make Some Noise campaign by Amnesty International.

<3 and peace, Helena

Instant Karma

Instant Karma (http://www.instantkarma.org/) is a site created by Yoko Ono (armed with John Lennon's music), who teamed with Amnesty International to end the genocide happening in Darfur...go there and sign the petition now.

<3 and peace, Helena

Amnesty International

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all.  If you find yourself outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world, then help work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity.  Now, I realize that this is a hot topic for some, because the 2.2 million-strong organization fights to free prisoners of conscience, abolish the death penalty, stop violence against women and ensure everyone enjoys full human rights.  If, however, you find yourself, like me, passionate against stopping human abuses around the world, then you can help by:

•  publicating and promoting their research findings
•  public demonstrations
•  holding vigils
•  letter-writing campaigns (Some of the easiest & one of my favorites)
•  human rights education (Whether you're holding an assembly or talking with friends and family)
•  awareness-raising concerts (Are you a musician?  Then this is for you!)
•  direct lobbying
•  targeting appeals
•  email petitions and other online actions (Another easy thing to do from the comfort of your home)
•  partnerships with local campaigning groups
•  community activities (I would really encourage this one!)
•  co-operation with student groups (or, if you're still in school, form your own!)

If you would like to help, but aren't sure where to start, I would suggest taking a look at their Action Center:  http://www.amnesty.org/en/activism-center

You may not think that YOU can make a difference, but your participation helps immensely. When you add your name to their "Actions" you increase the pressure on governments and human rights violators to tackle human rights abuses...and for some, that can literally be the difference between life and death, and I can hardly think of anything more important than that.

Another cool feature their site offers is an Online Community Volunteer program that allows you to offer your skills and leadership in activism and mobilization for an Online Community. Your primary role will be to encourage and support your fellow activists to engage and mobilize for human rights. It is a virtual role, which means that no matter where in the world you are, you can still participate.

There are three main roles where they need activists to take a leadership role:

-  Online Ambassador: Write blogs, online commentaries and posts that help highlight human rights issues and Amnesty International’s campaigns to a wider audience.  You can also choose to be an Online Ambassador specifically for our Demand Dignity campaign and become a Voice Ambassador. As a Voice Ambassador, you will highlight the link between poverty and human rights.
-  Moderator: Engage with activists in Amnesty International social networking spaces, engage in conversation and make sure the debate stays respectful and constructive.
-  Greeter: Engage with activists in Amnesty International social networking spaces and support fellow activists by answering their questions and welcoming them to the Online Community.

To follow Amnesty International on twitter:  http://twitter.com/AmnestyOnline
To follow Amnesty International on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-United-Kingdom/Amnesty-International/111658128847068
Their Demand Dignity Campaign on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Demand-Dignity/237214434274?v=wall#!/pages/Demand-Dignity/2372144342744
Their Demand Dignity website:  http://demanddignity.amnesty.org/
For a complete action list:  http://www.amnesty.org/en/activism-center/all-actions
To read Amnesty International's blog:  http://blog.amnestyusa.org/

If you, like myself, are based in the USA, check out their US specific page here:  http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-priorities/page.do?id=1108051

<3 and peace, Helena