Speaking Tour - Cancun to Miami / WTO to FTAA

[raquel@rds.org.hn]

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Send reply to:  	<info@rightsaction.org>
From:           	"Rights Action" <info@rightsaction.org>
To:             	<info@rightsaction.org>
Subject:        	Speaking Tour - Cancun to Miami / WTO to FTAA
Date sent:      	Sun, 28 Sep 2003 20:18:13 -0400
Organization:   	Rights Action

Rights Action -- SPEAKING TOUR

?CANCUN to MIAMI / WTO to FTAA?

WHEN: October 18 ? November 22, 2003
WHERE: Eastern USA, south to Miami FL.

WHO:  Bertha Caceres, activist leader of COPINH (Civic Counsel of
Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras) and Jessica Pupovac,
activist with Rights Action, recently returned from the WTO meetings in
Cancun (Mexico) after spending the summer with COPINH in Honduras.

INTERESTED IN HOSTING EVENTS:  Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org,
416-654-2074

POVERTY, REPRESSION & RESISTANCE TO THE "FREE" TRADE MODEL
Rights Action is pleased to announce this educational tour of Honduran
community development and human rights leader Bertha Caceres, co-founder
of COPINH (Civic Counsel of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of
Honduras), and Jessica Pupovac, a Rights Action activist.  In 2002,
COPINH received the Body Shop Human Rights Award, as nominated by Rights
Action, for their struggle in favor of the rights of the impoverished
majority of Honduras.  COPINH members are regularly targeted for
repression, including beatings, illegal jailings and torture.

Their tour will travel in eastern USA, heading south towards the meeting
of the FTAA (?Free? Trade Area of the Americas) to be held in Miami,
Florida, November 17-22.  Our speakers will focus on:  the effects of
the ?free? trade development model on indigenous rights, development
policy and the environment;  the ?development? vision and policies of
the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) and the WTO (World Trade
Organization);  and on community-based struggles throughout Central
American and Mexico for sane, community-controlled development.

Bertha Caceres will be accompanied by Jessica Pupovac from Rights
Action, who spent 4 weeks in Cancun working in collaboration with
international organizations and activists protesting against the WTO.
The tour will end at the FTAA?s next large meeting in Miami (November
17-22), where Bertha and Jessica will participate in education, alliance
building and protest activities.

COST:  Rights Action is paying for this tour (budget available on
request).  Therefore, we aim to raise $300 at each event (this amount is
discussable), to help pay for the travel, room and board costs.

*** PLEASE REDISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION ***

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