Welcome to the Greetings Card Campaign

So it all starts here. Welcome one and all to the 2009 Greetings Card Campaign.From 1 November each year through to 31 January Amnesty International encourages people in the UK to send a message of solidarity to those whose rights are at risk around the world.It’s a pretty easy concept. When writing out your usual dozens of Christmas or greeting cards each year, just add a couple more and send them to one (or more) of the people in our campaign.And this year, we have a funky new interactive map to help you pinpoint the cases we’re working on and the ones that might interest youSo big deal, you might ask, what’s one card going to do? Well, thanks for asking, here’s some of the feedback we got from last year’s campaign.“When I read some of your letters they make me so happy that I forget about the deplorable living conditions here in Aba prison. [I] am patiently waiting for that glorious day when my discharge will come and with whole heartedness, it will call for celebration in the Amnesty community here in Nigeria and the whole world at large.” – Patrick Okoroafor, imprisoned since age 14, now 29 years old. Amnesty International is calling for his immediate and unconditional release. “Keep us always in your hearts, minds and pens; because without you, without your help, we couldn't carry on in this struggle that seems to have no end.” – Claudina’s father, Jorge Velásquez. 19-year-old law student from Guatemala Claudina Velásquez was shot dead in 2005. So far her killers have never been brought to justice. Another beneficiary of the campaign, Justine Masika Bihamba, will actually be in the UK later this month and will be speaking at our Student Conference on Sunday 15 November.Justine, a mother of six, runs a women’s rights organisation in the conflict-affected region of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The organisation, ‘Synergie des Femmes contre les Violences Sexuelles’, supports women who have been impacted by sexual violence.  Employees at the organisation have regularly been threatened and attacked because of their work and Justine’s own children have been attacked and assaulted by government soldiers in their own home. Against such a horrific backdrop, sending her a card can only help encourage her to continue her vital work.