Minutes of Group Meeting July 14th 2014

Attending: Leo, Carolyn, Paul, Adele, Elizabeth, Heiko, Beatrice, Liz, Philip, Claudia, John, Liz

Apologies: Carmel

Minutes: There were no comments on last months minutes.

IAR:

Claudia explained Agnes Uwimana Nkusi case to meeting newcomers, advising Agnes has been released. The group will discuss a new IAR at the next meeting. Beatrice advised she’d send a list of AIUK IARs to the mailing list.

Integrated Strategic Plan:

Regional Rep, Philip Nye, spoke to the group about the Integrated Strategic Plan 2016-2019. AI have been criticised in the past for not keeping members up to date with it’s strategy & focus. In response to this AIUK are requesting feedback from individuals & local groups on it’s future strategic goals. The group divided in two to discuss what has worked well in the past. The group then discussed as a whole. Philip advised he’d pull together all the suggestions & send the group a copy. This can be discussed at the next meeting.

John Hanvey of the Humanitarian Partnership:

John spoke of the work the charity the Humanitarian Partnership is doing in Shatila refugee camp. This camp, in Lebanon, already housed 1000s of Palestinian refugees but it’s numbers have greatly increased in the last couple of years with Syrian refugees. John spoke of conditions in the refugee camp & how so many basic human rights are denied. The charity is sending volunteers & minibuses to the camp. The group were keen to know what they could do to help. Beatrice advised she’d email the mailing list giving Leo’s details as the contact for those who wanted further info or to make a donation.

Action of the Month:

Because of time restrictions & because the deadline for July’s action was after the next meeting it was decided to do July’s action in August. It is a photo action. Beatrice advised she’d prepare the signs for the photo action asked for someone to bring a camera/phone to take the picture.

Forthcoming events:

October 13^th meeting will be at The Human Rights Consortium office. It will be a joint meeting of Belfast, Downpatrick & QUB groups with a speaker from the BMA ethics groups & Grainne Teggert from the Belfast office.

AOB:

Because of time restrictions fundraising & feedback from recent events were put on hold until the next meeting.