Adopt-an-Iraqi City

ISPHR came out soundly against the 2003 American invasion of Iraq – but once the invasion took place we committed to offering humanitarian and development assistance.  Our various ISPHR chapters partnered with other local NGOs and pledged to ‘adopt’ an Iraqi town.  Edmonton ‘adopted’ Al-Mutayha and New Mishrag, sending over $200,000, while Calgary ‘adopted’ Jurf al-Shakr and sent over $30,000.  Calgary would have sent more, but the insurgency raised its ugly head and prevented further activity.

We’re now focused on raising funds to build a much needed elementary school and health clinic for the Kurdish city of Halabja.  The city suffered tremendously, first during Saddam’s Anfal gassings of the late 1980s and later under a fundamentalist regime.  The people of Halabja are now freer than they’ve ever been but are in dire need of support.  The Kurdistan Regional Government is involved and doing what it can; however, as a new democracy working hard to recover from decades of deprivation under Saddam, their resources are stretched to the limit.  Our efforts are directed at improving basic living conditions for the most vulnerable segments of a very impoverished society.

(Please click the following images to enlarge)

Elementary school in Halabja	"Medicine" with expired dates piled at entrance of Halabja Primary Health Centre	Inside Halabja Primary Health Centre

Halabja Primary Health Centre with antique and filthy equipment	Halabja Memorial site.

The Group of 6 Billion (G6B)

In late 2001, we learned that the Canadian government had chosen Kananaskis, Alberta as the site for the 2002 meeting of the G8 leaders.  ISPHR quickly committed to leading the people’s summit – an effort to push forward the agenda of the people.  While the leaders focused on ‘Anti-terrorism’ and capitalism as the saviors of Africa, we focused on Human Security and the human needs of African peoples.

PeaCentury 2000: A Peoples' Human Rights Conference

In the fall of 1998, Edmonton hosted an international conference to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. It was an important event and we wanted to build upon the awareness created and to shine the spotlight on survivors of human rights abuses and champions of human rights and justice. We started dreaming about a human rights conference that celebrated everyday people from parts of the world we never hear about in the daily papers and commercial TV. Between holding down day jobs and working towards our degrees, we pulled off a conference – called PeaCentury 2000: A Peoples’ Human Rights Conference – that really put ISPHR on the peace map.  We brought 50 people from 35 different countries, all either survivors or those who worked directly with survivors. We heard their stories, explored the causes of injustice, and pledged to keep working for peace. 

And we have. We’ve since established chapters in Vancouver and Calgary and kept our connection with our 50 international PeaCentury guests.  We’ve helped raise funds and awareness for critical human rights issues in Canada and abroad – and we’ve sent ISPHR members to help out on various campaigns.

(Please click the following images to enlarge)

PeaCentury organizers and speakers celebrate their success	Alison Azer with Tibetan Buddhist Monk, Paldon Guyasto, survivor of many years in Chinese prisons	PeaCentury planners and speakers

Saren Azer with Father Shay Cullen, tireless fighter for protection of Filipino women and children	ISPHR at Vancouver Peace Rally just before 2003 US Invasion of Iraq