On April 27–28, the Quaker Initiative to End Torture (QUIT) will hold its first Canadian conference. This conference, held about six weeks before the second U.S. QUIT conference at Guilford College (Greensboro, North Carolina), will bring together faith communities, activists, students and NGOs in Canada to raise awareness and build strength so that we can work to abolish torture.
Do we want Canadian soldiers to be able to hand over prisoners of war to a government that practices torture? Do we want people to be locked away on a security certificate with no recourse to the channels of justice? How do we stop this? How do we start? This conference will look at these issues and at the response by Canada’s faith and activist communities through panels and workshops.
Friday, April 27, 7–9pm: Theatre of the Oppressed
Cost: Regular $10; Unwaged $7
The conference will open with a theatre workshop by Hector Aristizábal called Nightwind that describes the night he was captured in Colombia and tortured.
Saturday, April 28, 9am–5:30pm: Panels and Workshops
Cost: Regular $15; Unwaged $10
Panelists include Hilary Homes (Amnesty International), Matthew Behrens (Homes not Bombs), John Calvi (QUIT).
Interfaith roundtable moderated by Lori Beaman (Department of Classics and Religious Studies, Ottawa University), with Janet Ross (McMaster University), Diana Ralph, and Samir Zuberi (TBC).
QUIT has invited committed and passionate individuals to offer workshops which will explore local and global issues in relation to torture.
The event is co-sponsored by Ottawa Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Canadian Friends Service Committee and Inter Pares.
For more information contact quit.conference.canada@gmail.com