Caoimhe Butterly 'Eye witness report from Lebanon'

galway | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Friday November 30, 2007 15:10 by Sarah Clancy - Galway One World Centre/Gaaw/SWP/Eco Soc /Upstart

Public Talk

Galway welcomes Caoimhe Butterly speaking tour

'Hero of the year' peace campaigner returns to speak in Galway.

Well-known Irish peace campaigner Caoimhe Butterly will speak in a public meeting in Galway’s Town Hall Studio Theatre on Friday December the 7th at 7.30 as part of a nationwide tour that seeks to raise awareness of the critical situation in Lebanon and the Middle East. In the talk, titled ‘Eye witness from Lebanon’, Caoimhe will speak on the current situation in Lebanon for Palestinian refugees and the people of South Lebanon where she is currently working. Last winter Caoimhe gave a talk and presentation in Galway that drew a more than capacity crowd to the town hall theatre –this event is expected generate similar interest.

Background information:
Caoimhe, still only 28, was awarded a Time magazine ‘hero of the year’ honour in 2003. She was brought up in a culture of liberation theology, which, she says, "deeply inspired" her to spend her life campaigning for human rights. At a very young age, she says, she developed a deep sense of duty. "I've always felt to almost a painful degree the need to stand up against injustices in whatever contexts they lie.” She left school at 18, wanting to travel, and headed to New York, where she spent time working in homeless soup kitchens. She went on to Guatemala and from there to Chiapas in Mexico, where she worked for two years among the Zapatista communities.

In recent years she has been a witness to war in Iraq, Lebanon and in Palestine. In Palestine an Israeli soldier shot her whilst she was helping children escape an assault on a refugee camp. She later spent 16 days inside the compound where Yasser Arafat was besieged in Ramallah. She again came to international prominence when she protested at Tony Blair’s post war press conference in Lebanon. The situation in Lebanon is precarious at the moment according to Caoimhe and she wishes to present a view from inside Lebanon that takes account of the human effects of conflict and displacement. Caoimhe is a widely respected and inspirational speaker. People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to come and hear her speak. Admission is free but donations to cover Caoimhe’s expenses are welcome.

This event will be complemented by occurring during a week where Galway multi media artist and activist Niamh Moloughney will display her Palestinian Wall youth project ‘Upstart’ in the Galway city museum. This exhibition will run from the 4th –8th of Dec. The Wall was made for The National Youth Council of Ireland's project 'The writing's on the wall’ as a way to send messages of solidarity to the young people in Palestine, Lebanon and Israel.
'The World Wall' will trace Caoimhe Butterly's journey as an activist on a map project, which uses film art and media, charting her work from Mexico to Palestine.

International Human Rights Day is fast approaching and the Galway One World Centre, The Galway Alliance Against War, Eco- Soc NUIG the Socialist Workers Party and ‘Upstart’ are all delighted to host this event to demonstrate our solidarity with each other! the people of Lebanon and the Palestinians who have sought refuge there and all those suffering oppression worldwide.

Regarding ‘The Wall’ exhibition contact - niamh.upstart@gmail.com

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/84798 an article recently printed in ‘Counterpunch’ regarding the Refugee camp where Caoimhe has been based.