At the Rights & Democracy Network’s 5th Anniversary Gala, which took place on May 1, 2008 at Studio Juste pour rire in downtown Montreal, five Delegation projects from the last five years were honoured with Awards of Recognition, as voted by a jury of past and current Network staff. The jury selected the projects based on how successfully the project team integrated the Network’s approaches into their project.
Members of the project teams and delegates from the winning delegations accepted the Awards of Recognition from Sophie Rondeau, the Network coordinator, and Jean-Paul Hubert, Rights & Democracy’s president.
And the winners are….
On the Refugees’ Path, 1st edition, April7-9, 2005Rights & Democracy Delegation at l’Université Laval
Website : http://www.rightsdemocracy.net/delegations/qc/
laval/refugies/2005/index.htm
Project team : Delphine Soetart, Pauline Boinot, Isabelle Jeté, Pascale Labbé, Mireille Ouellet, Myriam Paquette-Côté
In order to stimulate dialogue and raise the awareness of their fellow citizens about the experience of refugees beginning a new life in the Québec City region, the founding team of six young women, Université Laval students, set up this project in conjunction with their university and valuable partners such as Médécins du monde, the High Commissioner for Refugees in Canada and the Canadian Red Cross.
Following on the huge success of the project, the founding team was able to pass it on via the delegations of the Rights & Democracy Network, thus definitively launching its development throughout Canada.
Democratic Discovery in Burkina Faso, winter 2005-2006Rights & Democracy Delegation at l’Université de Moncton and l’Université de Ouagadougou
Website : http://www.rightsdemocracy.net/cms/site/
en/international/coupdecoeur.htm
Project team at l’Université de Moncton : Julie Breau, Youssouf Mohamed Dicko, Julien Léger, Marc Robichaud, Johanne Thériault, Professeur Chedly Belkhodja
Project team at l’Université de Ouagadougou : Wilfried Prosper Bako, Alain Farma, Inès Kientga, Jérome Lankoande, Salifou Nasre, Roselyn Ouedraogo, Ousseini Ouegraogo, Edith Sagnan, Daouda Sangla, Oumarou Savadogo, Professeur
The Rights & Democracy Network’s first twinning began between the Delegations at the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick and the Université de Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, during the 10th Summit of the Francophonie. The students submitted a project proposal entitled “Coup de cœur démocratique pour le Burkina Faso” (Democratic Discovery in Burkina Faso).
The first exchange, entitled “Democratic Governance and Electoral Process – Discoveries, Observations, and Cooperation” took place in 2005. Five students from the Université de Moncton, accompanied by their professor, acted as observers of the presidential elections which were held in Burkina Faso on November 13, 2005.
The students proposed a follow-up activity of observing the federal elections in Canada, called “Federal Elections 2006 - From Burkina Faso to Canada: Youth perspective, which took place in January 2006”, in which two members of the University of Ouagadougou Delegation, as well as their professor, observed in turn the Canadian elections.
USHIFT - Making Sustainable, Healthy, Innovative and Fair Transitions on University Campuses, March 2-4, 2007
Rights & Democracy Delegation of Glendon College, York University
Project team: John Wires, Tammy MacLean, Krisztina Damjanovich, Leigh Sanger, Jean-Sébastien Marier, Sarah Peek, Laura Thacker, Laura Monteith, Rachel Dempsey, Katia Malyuzhinets, Carlynn McAneeley, Alex Redescki, Jean-Paul Niombaza, Mary-Claire Wales, and more.
Recognizing the link between corporate activities, the global trade system, and world poverty, the events included an Oxfam Hunger Banquet and an Ethical Fashion Show.
Guest Speakers included Former Green Party Leader Jim Harris, and representatives from: Greenshift, Cascades, BMO, Bank of Nova Scotia, Schulich School of Business, Rights & Democracy, and Amnesty International.
The student-organizers ensured that the event was zero-waste, in order to reduce the environmental impact of the event.
Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark, November 28-30, 2006
Rights & Democracy Delegation at Bishop's University
Directed and organized by: Bruce Lambie, Stephanie Beaudoin, Jenn Kang
Cast: Taylor Demontigny, Julian Duarte, Anna Shackell, Gus Richardson, Alex Duncan, Emma Woodlock, Lucy Collingwood, Ariane Sansregret, Rana Husseini, Megan Wanless, Peter Jarvis
The Rights & Democracy Delegation at Bishop’s University presented "Speak Truth to Power : Voices from Beyond the Dark" at the Turner Studio Theatre. 16 actors interpreted Ariel Dorfman’s play, based on the book "Speak truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World", by Kerry Kennedy Cuomo.
Radioscapes & The Nanaimo Rights & Democracy Radio Hour, 2003-2007Malaspina University-College Rights & Democracy Delegation
Radioscapes was a radio program on the waves of Malaspina Radio CHLY 101.7 to promote and encourage democratic development and human rights. Through research and interviews, the students found a common thread that local and international solidarity is what makes it possible for indigenous communities and defenders of human rights to persevere and be able to move forward. The Delegation continued their radio work with the The Nanaimo Rights & Democracy Radio Hour until 2007.
Listen to Radioscapes here: http://www.rightsdemocracy.net/delegations/bc/malaspina/en/radioscapes.htm
