Music + Danish Pastry + Human Rights = JAMNESTY
With the ongoing conflict in the Arab world, killings and torture of minorities, silencing of women, people all over the world are suffering more than ever. What can YOU do to help?
This Thursday 8pm in Hotung Café, Tufts Amnesty International presents Jamnesty, a night of live music from Tufts bands and S-Factor and human rights awareness. Vice-Presidents Christina Luo and William Luk give us a few words on Tufts Amnesty and Jamnesty.
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HC: When and how did Tufts Amnesty International start?
Christina: Tufts’ chapter of Amnesty International started last year in the fall by Natasha, the current president, and current sophomore Howie Levine. As a transfer student and a freshman, I think they were both surprised that a school as concerned about human rights as Tufts didn’t have a chapter. So, they started one! (It turns out Tufts did have one, but it died out a year or two before.)
Will: I was definitely surprised to find that Amnesty International was such a new addition to Tufts, given Tufts’ emphasis on international affairs.
HC: What made you want to become involved?
Will: I have always been involved with Amnesty throughout high school. I feel strongly about human rights and it just saddens me that they are being violated every second of every day somewhere in the world. I remember the experience that prompted me to join Amnesty in the first place occurred in India. I was touring around, when an old, limping beggar came up to me and ask for money. Immediately, a police officer pulled him by the legs and banged his head against a metal fence. His reason was that he was disturbing the tourists. That happening in the world’s largest democracy truly shocked me.
Christina: I was also involved in high school, and I’ve always been interested in human rights, so it seemed perfect to get involved here at Tufts. I also thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to get involved in the early formation of a club and to help shape its direction.
HC: Do you have any preconceived goal for Jamnesty?
Will: To raise awareness through music. Music attracts people and touches people. The intermittent presentations inform people about our major campaigns. Hopefully on the whole, Jamnesty can be inspirational and informative.
Christina: I’m hoping Jamnesty is a huge hit! On an abstract level, I’m hoping that Jamnesty draws attention to Amnesty’s goals and promote awareness about human rights violation domestically and internationally. Another reason we wanted to hold the Jamnesty event this semester was to draw attention to the Tufts chapter; because we’re such a new group on campus, and because we had a relatively rocky start, we’re hoping to get new and old people involved with our chapter.
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For more information, visit the event page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214243361924222