Northampton: April 12, Saturday 1:00-5:30pm
Media Education Foundation,
60 Masonic St. Northampton, MA

followed by a reception at 29 Harrison Ave.(up Rt. 9 – just past Smith College turn left on Harrison Ave.

April 11, Friday 7:00-9:00pm
also at Media Education Foundation
Join us to see the film; Enchando Raices (Taking Root) followed by discussion
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Spanish Version

Boston: April 13, Sunday 2:00-5:30pm
Community Church
565 Boylston St. Copley Sq. Boston, MA
Printable Flyer
Spanish Version

Portsmouth: April 15, Tuesday 7-9pm
South Church
292 State St. Portsmouth, NH
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Spanish Version

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New England Spring Conference & Tour
Migration: Roots and Realities

WFPNE is proud to host Father Romualdo Francisco Wilfrido Mayrén Peláez--more familiarly known as Padre Uvi of Oaxaca, Mexico--as speaker at upcoming events in New England. Those who have been on a Witness For Peace Delegation to Oaxaca in the last several years will know about the work of Padre Uvi and the human rights organization he founded, BARCA.

JOIN US:

Better understand the complex issues of migration
Strengthen alliances with NE organizations in support of basic human rights,

MORE ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:

Father Romualdo Francisco Wilfrido Wilfrido Mayrén Peláez, "Padre Uvi", is a parish priest in Oaxaca City, Mexico, and is Coordinator for the Peace and Justice Commission of the Oaxaca Diocese.

Long committed to promoting and defending human rights, as a young priest Padre Uvi was assigned to work in the region of Teojomulco, located in the southern mountains of Oaxaca State. There he witnessed the region's extreme poverty and high levels of marginalization; injustice against ordinary citizens is widespread, and impunity for abuses of power is common. To address these issues, Padre Uvi founded the Regional Human Rights Center "Bartolomé Carrasco Briseño, or BARCA (its initials in Spanish) in 1992. He was General Coordinator of the BARCA Human Rights Center for its first seven years.

In June of 2006, during the ongoing socio-political conflict in Oaxaca, Padre Uvi was invited by the Oaxaca teachers movement to serve as part of a Mediation Commission, together with painter Francisco Toledo and the bishop from the diocese of Oaxaca. He served in this position from July to September 2006. The commission was dissolved following the rise of a new organization, the APPO--the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca--which included most of the teachers movement as well as many other social organizations and civil society members. An outbreak of violence in October of 2006, and the arrival of several thousand Federal Preventative Police in Oaxaca, placed Padre Uvi into a key role as Peace and Justice Coordinator for the Oaxaca Diocese, mediating in non-violent conflict resolution and peace talks among the opposing factions.

Over the years, even before the outbreak of open socio-political conflict in Oaxaca, Padre Uvi has been among the few voices that have publicly denounced the injustice, inequality, impunity, corruption, poverty, forced migration and continuing violations of human rights that are taking place in Oaxaca.

A courageous leader of civil society, Padre Uvi is admired and loved by the poor, and scorned and discredited by the powerful. He remains one of the pillars of the BARCA Human Rights Center and is a tireless promoter of the right to a just, dignified, and humane life for all. Because of his commitment to the defense of human rights, Padre Uvi has been harrassed, slandered and physically threatened, but he continues to champion human rights and to fight against military and economic violence.

Padre Uvi will be speaking about the impact of US economic and military policy on the root causes of migration, and how those same causes are reflected in the recent social uprising in Oaxaca.

To host an event or to provide logistical support, please contact:
Joanne, Regional Organizer at 802-434-2980 or email wfpne@witnessforpeace.org