Sept. 20: Freedom Square NYC

Freedom Square, NYC WHEN: September 20th. 2011 from 4:00-8:00PM WHERE: UN Headquarters Dag Hammerskjold Plaza (47th & 1st Ave.) WHAT: 4:00-5:30 Rally; 5:30-6:30 Teach-in; 6:30-7:30 Music, Spoken Word; 7:30-8:00 Vigil […]

Freedom Square, NYC

WHEN: September 20th. 2011 from 4:00-8:00PM
WHERE: UN Headquarters Dag Hammerskjold Plaza (47th & 1st Ave.)
WHAT: 4:00-5:30 Rally; 5:30-6:30 Teach-in;
6:30-7:30 Music, Spoken Word; 7:30-8:00 Vigil

Activists unite from across the Middle East and North Africa and call on UN Member States and the G8 to heed the demands of the region’s popular uprisings

(New York, NY)— On September 20th, 2011, as the United Nations General Assembly convenes, activists from Egypt, Iran, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen come together to form “Freedom Square-NYC” in front of the United Nations. The world has watched in awe and admiration as peoples’ movements across the Middle East and North Africa have demanded an end to tyranny and injustice.

“Many of our groups have been inspired by the people of the region and hope to demonstrate our solidarity in their pursuit of their fundamental rights and democratic aspirations. We call on the international community to uphold the people’s demand for accountability and call for an end to the violent crackdowns on demonstrators and ordinary people.” said Bitta Mostofi, co-organizer.

September 20th is especially significant because on that day the countries of the G8 will hold a meeting with their regional partners, as well as members of the Arab League, to discuss their vision for the future of the region. Organizers urge the G8 to cease their support of authoritarian regimes and to end the cycle of loans and debt. These policies serve as a major obstacle to the popular aspirations for economic justice and democracy, demands at the heart of the uprisings.

“This is the first time that activists from across the region have come together and in recognizing our positions from the United States, we do so in part to remind the world community that the future of the region belongs to the people not to these politicians. These movements have demanded an end to corruption, be it domestic or foreign and the G8 does not support them by leading closed door meetings that lack accountability and that result in undemocratic decisions.”

Freedom Square will feature speakers, artists, musicians, grassroots activists, students and the general public. It will be a place to further the vision of equality and self-determination that we have seen in Maydan-e Azadi, Maydan Tahrir, Pearl Square, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Gaza, Hama and every other street and square from Tehran to Casablanca.

WHEN: September 20th. 2011 from 4:00-8:00PM
WHERE: UN Headquarters Dag Hammerskjold Plaza (47th & 1st Ave.)
WHAT: 4:00-5:30 Rally; 5:30-6:30 Teach-in;
6:30-7:30 Music, Spoken Word; 7:30-8:00 Vigil
WHO: Al-Awda NY, Iran Forum-NY, January 25th Solidarity for Democracy Network, Raha: Iranian Feminist Collective, Syrian Americans for Democracy, Syria First Coalition, Where Is My Vote-NY, UASDI (Union for Advancement of Secular Democracy for Iran,) Yemeni-American Coalition for Change

FOR MORE INFORMATION: freedomsquarenyc@gmail.com