Freedom to Read / Persecuted Writers Project

Freedom To Read / Persecuted Writers Project;

Saturday, February 23, 2008 1:30 PM

London Central Library

Stevenson & Hunt Rooms A & B

251 Dundas Street in London, Ontario

1. Hear readings from the works of Banned and Imprisoned Authors

2. Former Persecuted Writer from Colombia tells his story of courage

3. Sign onto letters of concern on behalf of Amnesty International Prisoners

For more information

Mark Konrad 519-434-2553

 www.globalimportune.org         

globalimportune@primus.ca

admission is free and open to all

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Global Importune (G.I.) seeks volunteers to read short passages from the works of imprisoned, harassed or banned writers from around the world during its freeom to read event. Contact Mark Konrad no later than Thursday afternoon february 14th.

—    Journalist, Alvaro Gómez  of Colombia will be our featured speaker on feb 23rd.

 In 1997, Mr. Gómez publicly declared himself a political opponent and dissident

of the Colombian State when he founded Servicios Especializados de Información, Seinforma (Specialized Journalistic Services), an alternative news agency dedicated, to helping victims of Colombia’s civil war obtain reparations from the government.

Mr. Gómez has survived numerous attempts on his life, after he publicly exposed links between drug traffickers, government officials, police and the army. He had been the victim of coordinated campaign of systematic threats and harassment and was forced to undergo internal displacement. In the fall of 2005. Mr. Gómez left Colombia and came to Canada.

In October 2006, Mr. Gómez re-activated Seinforma in Canada. Seinforma currently serves as a Web-based entity that promotes and circulates news on human rights in Latin America.