Throughout Latin America and the world, already marginalised communities have been the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. However, in the face of inadequate state responses to the virus, these communities are now stepping up to provide support to those most in need.
In lieu of our annual pub quiz fundraiser, PBI Ireland will be holding a virtual event with speakers involved in community support actions during the pandemic, on Thursday 12 November at 7:00pm, via Zoom.
From Honduras, we will hear from the Arcoiris LGBT Association, which has provided food packages to people living with HIV/AIDS and members who have been unable to work during the lockdown. Throughout the pandemic, the Association has continued to support its members, who rely on Arcoiris for legal and psychosocial support, and as a home for many who have no other family. Arcoiris is currently promoting two major human rights laws, the Gender Identity Law and the Equality and Equity Law.
We will also hear from the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, Colombia. Since 1997, the Peace Community has practiced non-violent resistance to the various paramilitary and guerrilla groups that contest the area, building a self-sustaining and horizontal community in the process. In spite of the national lockdown, violence against the community has continued, as paramilitaries take advantage of the crisis to increase their control over the region and spread false rumours that the Peace Community introduced the virus to the area.
To help raise funds so that PBI Ireland can continue to support human rights defenders, we are requesting that anyone who can make a donation to PBI Ireland please do so by purchasing a ticket to this event and/or donating via our website. However, in recognition of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are also offering tickets free of charge to the unwaged and others who are unable to pay.
Click here to find out more and register.
The event will include a space for questions and answers. The speakers will be translated live from Spanish to English./El evento incluirá un espacio de preguntas y respuestas. Se traducirán las intervenciones de lxs ponentes en vivo de Español a Inglés.