Hello from the Belfast Youth Group!

This is Laura from the Belfast Amnesty Youth Group – the first non-school youth group in Northern Ireland. This is just an outline of who we are, and saying hello!

 We've been running since the end of February 2008. Our meetings were originally monthly but due to popular demand were changed to fortnightly! Every other Saturday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm, between 10 and 20 young people descend on the Include Youth offices in Rosemary Street. It's a great venue, not least because there are several fab coffee shops nearby. :)

 While initial meetings were on general human rights, we began to focus on several campaigns from Amnesty, settling on 'Human Rights In China'. Jaz and Emma led us in making posters, sending postcards, and getting the word out.

Our first action was 26th June. With a convenient backdrop of a massive sculpture of Gulliver, we set up banners (which have disintegrated – rest in peace, banner!), placards, got out our clipboards, and got to work. For several hours, we spoke to shoppers, builders, teenagers and Billy Connolly about the China campaign. There were stickers, origami swans and China postcards everywhere!  Luckily it didn't rain until the action was almost over!

 Meetings are ongoing, and you're welcome to come along to see what we're all about.

check http://www.bebo.com/AmnestyYouthNI for up-to-date details.

Laura :)