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Showing posts from August, 2007

Tokyo Pride Parade 2007

6th Tokyo Pride Parade was held here in Tokyo on Saturday, August 11 , starting in Yoyogi Park Visit http://parade.tokyo-pride.org/6th/fm.html Olivia from Tokyo Amazons wrote an article with some good photos on the Fridae website : Check it out: http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2015&viewarticle=1&searchtype=author&textby=Olivia%20Mayumi%20Moss

Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP)

looking for applicants - would be great to get some Japanese NGO applicants this year. The application for the 2008 session of the annual Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia University is now available. HRAP is designed to prepare proven human rights leaders from the Global South and marginalized communities in the U.S. to participate in national and international policy debates on globalization by building their skills, knowledge, and contacts. The Program features a four-month residency at Columbia University in New York City with a structured curriculum of advocacy, networking, skills-building, and academic coursework. Since 2004, HRAP has concentrated its support on individuals and organizations that address issues broadly related to globalization. The four-month intensive capacity building program based at Columbia University in New York focuses on the following key issue areas: * Environmental injustice * Labor rights violations * Abuses by multinational corporation

ICAAP meeting in Columbo

The 8th ICAAP was held Aug 19-23 in Columbo. OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE CONGRESS Within the theme "Waves of Change - Waves of Hope" the 8th ICAAP aims - To enhance the local, regional and global response to HIV/AIDS by creating an opportunity: • to achieve meaningful exchanges of expertise, experiences, advances, lessons learnt, challenges faced and successes achieved in HIV/AIDS programmes • to form meaningful and sustainable partnerships between stakeholders at all levels • to showcase achievements and successes and share best practices • to empower and strengthen political, community and business leadership, adopting a consultative, collaborative and participatory approach • to ensure that communities that are infected, affected and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and their families are free from stigmatization, marginalization and discrimination by addressing p

Simple Steps to getting involved

There are many opportunities and you do not have to start your own group. Despite the growth in interest by people young and old in volunteering people surveyed all noted that they need volunteers with the previously listed skill-sets. Assess your interests, skills and experience. Ask yourself what you can offer an organization. Clarify your availability and commitment possibilities. Be honest about your ability to work in Japanese and in a Japanese environment. If you have no Japanese communication skills there are still groups out there - they are just fewer. Get information: Foreign Executive Women’s Volunteering Directory ( http://www.fewjapan.com/volunteer/volunteering_directory.html ) and JANIC (Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation( http://www.janic.org/en/directoryofjapanesengos.html ) have information in English introducing organizations. Take action: Go to events and meet people – don’t send emails. Go to volunteer orientation meetings, forums or networking events.

TUJ open house - Sat Sept 8

Learn all about TUJ Continuing Education, our instructors, and courses. Find out more about the NGO mgt certificate program. NGO Management Courses Fall 2007 Course No. Day Time International English for NGOs - Introductory (cross listed) NGO101 Tue 19:10-21:00 Local Action for Change - How Non Profit NGOs Tackle Social Issues in Japan NGO202 Sat 9:00-10:50 Management Aspects and Issues of NGOs NGO601 Mon 19:10-21:00 Introduction to Human Rights (8 Weeks)—September 22nd - November 17th IHR101 Sat 13:00-15:20 Community Organizing for Social Change (One-day Workshop)—December 15th COS101 Sat 10:00-17:00 Environmental Issues ENV101 Wed 19:10-21:00 For more info and access info v

Dancing 4 AIDS orphans

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I will be moderating the panel disucssion on Day 2 of the Dancing for AIDS Orphans 3-day fundraising event A cutting edge event - the first of its kind in Japan. Dancers are coming to Japan from many countries to help raise money for children in Africa whose futures have been compromised due to the AIDS epidemic. Proceeds will go to: Africa Japan Forum Doctors of the World UNHCR Steven Lewis Foundation You can get more info at: http://www.dancing4aidsorphans.org/_whatwe_3day2.htm Read about it in Metropolis: http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/684/globalvillage.asp Join in Yokohama! Basic schedule Open House and Dress Rehearsal - Monday August 20, 2007 Open house from 1pm-6pm Dress rehearsal 6pm-8pm Open House & Matinee - Tuesday August 21, 2007 Open House 12pm-4 pm Matinee Performance 5pm-8pm About the demonstration and panel: Explanation and demonstration of training children up to professionals. One can learn about the different techniques

Issues to address with regards to advocacy in Japan

In discussing these points, I can understand the problems we in Japan faced with with global anti-TB campaign 1. Gaps between groups 1 => particularly the view that there are "service oriented orgs" and "other or activist orgs" 2. Gaps between groups 2 => Local activity vs. broader/global action/issue focused 3. Lack of funds, staff with experience and training for Advocacy 4. NGOs view of Advocacy leads to the assumption ミ false or not ミ that it should/can or shouldnユt/canユt be part of their work 5. Activities vary by genre (I did not really understand why this was a relevant point.) 6. Many - including funders - see ADV idea as anti-Government not non G 7. Celebrity power not involved in Advocacy (why this was important may have to do with the recent involvement of high profile people in the make poverty history campaign. ) 8. Terminology limiting ミ no equivalent term, lengthy explanation often necessary 9. Lack of strong coalitions, the lack of collaborati

Workshop links

Am posting links for several of the materials I referred to in recent workshops Find info on Grant proposal writing Community organizing and teaching materials on http://activist-resources.blogspot.com