My Time With V.I.S.A.: Assistant Coordinator, January 2009-August 2009, Part II

Part I: http://pumudu.wordpress.com/2010/12/26/ast-exec-carrousel/

Throughout the summer and fall of 2008, then Coordinator Mallika Padmanabhan began planning an event to raise awareness of the humanitarian situation in Darfur, Sudan. Mallika’s brainchild was the first event V.I.S.A. specifically aimed in getting funds for a humanitarian cause. This event would take place on January 24, 2009, and was called “Visions for Darfur“.

During the planning, V.I.S.A. recruited a new Executive who would make such events a regular feature for V.I.S.A. each year. She was Alanna Oddoye, and Mallika and her organized the event in the main. I was happy to be part of this event, and to assist with some planning and execution of it. But my contribution was minimal, but I feel this event’s significance in being a student-initiated event by a non-funded group merits mention on this blog. The event raised $334.00 for OxFam Canada, and was a success. The International Student Centre, and especially the International Student Advisor Mr. Enrique Chacon was also very helpful in planning for this event.

The event encompassed a speech by Debbie Bodkin, who was part of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry for Darfur in Sudan as an investigator in 2004-2005. She shared her experiences, and raised many morally compelling issues to the audience. We were also honoured to have the Hon. Brian Masse and Hon. Joe Comartin, the Members of Parliament for Windsor-West and Windsor-Tecumseh respectively attending the event. In addition, we had a silent auction, readings of survival stories from a victim of the Rwandan genocide of 1994 as well.

Laura with guest speaker, Debbie Bodkin

Event in progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part III: http://pumudu.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/aloha-pub-night/