Local events during the Global Week of Action

On Monday 11th April at 12:30pm a bride and groom representing developing countries with struggling rice industries will allow guests, representing America, to throw rice at them to highlight the issue of dumping.

The stunt being organised by Oxfam will take place at Birmingham Cathedral. The intention behind the stunt is really to attract media interest but since the area is fairly public this will be an opportunity to engage with members of the public and hand out leaflets explaining what is happening. If you are interested and would like more detail please contact Ruth Thompson {rthompson@oxfam.org.uk}

On Saturday 16 April, Public signing of Trade Justice voting cards, with MPs, church leaders, leaders of minority ethnic religious groups and trades council officers will take place in Open Market Square, Wolverhampton from 10am until 12 noon. This will then be repeated in Queen Square from 1pm until 3pm. There will also 'unfair games' to highlight the unfairness of trade rules with local schools groups, and street theatre, songs, competitions etc.

If you are interested and would like more detail please contact Trevor Stockton, 01902782207, {trevor@trevorstockton.wanadoo.co.uk}

Young person's essay competition promoted by Make Votes Count


Title:
"How can voting reform rejuvenate British democracy?"

Make Votes Count are not so much looking for a balanced academic essay as a well-informed opinion piece that could (and may if it's good enough) appear in a national newspaper.


Judging:
All essays will be read and short-listed by the policy staff at the Electoral Reform Society. The short-listed essays will be judged by David Lipsey (chair Make Votes Count) and Polly Toynbee (Guardian columnist). The decision of the judges will be final.


Entry:
Open to any UK resident under the age of 25 (apart from employees or family of employees of any Make Votes Count partner organisation).

The closing date is midday Tuesday 26 April (late entries will not be accepted). Word limit 1200 maximum. Please e-mail your entry to nina@makevotescount.org.uk Please put the words 'essay competition entry' in the title bar, and put your name, date of birth, address and contact numbers at the top of the file containing your essay. Please send the essay in a word or text file.

WAKE UP TO TRADE JUSTICE!

Campaigners around the world will be taking part in the Global Week of Action for Trade Justice from 10 -16 April. Take part here in the UK by attending 'Wake up to Trade Justice' in central London on Friday 15 April from 10pm 'til 8am the next morning!

This is your chance to stand in solidarity with campaigners around the world and challenge the Government to deliver Trade Justice – not free trade.

The event will include a club night with top bands and DJ’s, Trade Justice films and a candle lit vigil on Tony's doorstep.

Commission for Africa report demands aid increase

The Prime Minister’s Commission for Africa has urged wealthy nations to double their aid to Africa, the Commissions for Africa's full report can be read online.

True meanings of marriage

• Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves. After marriage, the "y" becomes silent.

• A husband said to his wife, "No, I don't hate your relatives. In fact, I like your mother-in-law better than I like mine."

• The honeymoon is over when the husband calls home to say he'll be late for dinner and the answering machine says it is in the microwave.

• Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry.

• How do most men define marriage? A very expensive way to get your laundry done.

• A man meets a genie. The genie tells him he can have whatever he wants provided that his mother-in-law gets double. The man thinks for a moment and then says, "OK, give me a million dollars and beat me half to death."

• A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" And the father replied, "I don't know, son, I'm still paying for it."

• A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did.

• Love is blind but marriage is an eye-opener.

• The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once.

• Cosmetics: A woman's way of keeping a man from reading between the lines.

• Words to live by: Do not argue with a spouse who is packing your parachute

• Boring husband: Honey, why are you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger? Bored wife: Because I married the wrong man!

• First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!" Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."

• Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand.

• Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.

• Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish

Government Rushes Flawed Anti-Terror Bill Through Parliament

On Wednesday 2nd March At 7pm there will be a public meeting organised by the CAMPACC in Parliament at which Gareth Peirce, Gillian Slovo, South-African born novelist; James Welch, Legal Director of Liberty; Simon Hughes MP and Paddy Hillyard, Queens University Belfast, author of the book “Suspect Communities – People’s Experience of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts in Britain” will speak.

At 5.30pm the following day, Thursday 3rd March, Liberty will be holding a Vigil for Justice on Parliament Square as the Bill goes through the House of Lords. Please note that this event was originally planned for the 2nd March but has been moved because of changes to the Parliamentary timetable.