Category Archives: Call to Action

2022 Write for Human Rights


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Join Amnesty International Pittsburgh (Group 39) and many other inspiring Pittsburgh rights groups and community leaders on Thursday, December 8, 2022, 6:30-8:30pm at Calvary Episcopal Church for our annual Write-for-Rights event.

This year marks the 37th annual gathering in Pittsburgh! During the event you can contribute to writing hundreds of letters on important human rights cases of our time.

Stop in and stay as long as you can. Write letters. Talk to other activists. Check out information tables about local groups working in Pittsburgh on local, national and international issues. There will be a candle-lighting ceremony at about 7:15pm.

Case information, letter writing materials, and light refreshments will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to wear face coverings while not eating or drinking.

2021 Write for Human Rights

Download poster/flyer

Join Amnesty International Pittsburgh (group 39) and many other inspiring Pittsburgh rights groups and community leaders on Thursday, December 9, 2021, 7:00-8:30pm at Calvary Episcopal Church for our annual Write-for-Rights event.

This year marks the 36th annual gathering in Pittsburgh! During the event you can contribute to writing hundreds of letters on important human rights cases of our time.

Stop in and stay as long as you can. Write letters. Talk to other activists. Check out information tables about local groups working in Pittsburgh on local, national and international issues. There will be a candle-lighting ceremony at about 7:45pm.

All attendees are required to wear face coverings and are requested to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In response to the pandemic the event will be shorter than in past years, but participants are encouraged to take materials for writing more letters at home.

2020 Write for Human Rights (virtual)

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Every year in December, Pittsburghers write hundreds of letters on behalf people whose human rights are violated and in support of activists who defend those rights.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic does not allow us to host an in-person letter-writing event. However, our fight for human rights is needed as much as ever. So we are not giving up but just changing the modus operandi: You will write your letters at home, we will provide all the info, and there will be two communal online events, to learn about the cases and support each other in our letter writing goals. Follow these links:

Write for Human Rights materials and background information
Kick-off: Thursday, December 10, 7pm
Report and celebrate: Tuesday, December 15, 7pm

Local Amnesty members join virtual climate strike

  

Although we are physically distant at the moment, we are more united than ever. We may be stuck inside, but we can continue advocating for human rights.

Millions of people are already suffering from the catastrophic effects of extreme disasters exacerbated by climate change – from prolonged drought in sub-Saharan Africa to devastating tropical storms sweeping across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific. And its effects will continue to grow and worsen over time, creating ruin for current and future generations. This is why the failure of governments to act on climate change in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence may well be the biggest inter-generational human rights violation in history.

Human rights are intimately linked with climate change because of its devastating effect on not just the environment but our own wellbeing. In addition to threatening our very existence, climate change is having harmful impacts on our rights to life, health, food, water, housing and livelihoods.

Amnesty is calling for governments to:

  • Do everything they can to help stop the global temperature rising by more than 1.5°C.
  • Reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 at the latest. Richer countries should do this faster. By 2030, global emissions must be half as much as they were in 2010.
  • Stop using fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) as quickly as possible.
  • Make sure that climate action is done in a way that does not violate anyone’s human rights, and reduces rather than increases inequality
  • Make sure everyone, in particularly those affected by climate change or the transition to a fossil-free economy, is properly informed about what is happening and is able to participate in decisions about their futures.
  • Work together to fairly share the burden of climate change – richer countries must help others.

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