**note: this action will continue through the spring of 2007...the day of the dead is a major commemoration in mexico and guatemala during which families celebrate their ancestors by visiting and sprucing up grave sites, welcoming the souls of the dead into their homes with altars and offerings of flowers and food, and engaging in other festivities...
during the fall of 2006**, thousands of amnesty international activists helped commemorate the day of the dead by participating in a "cross petition" by creating and signing crosses protesting the murders of women in juárez/chihuahua and in guatemala and calling on the mexican and guatemalan governments to take steps to end the femicides...
amnesty activists from around the country took part, sending crosses from places as far apart as california, massachusetts, illinois, missouri, new york, and georgia...0n november 2nd, activists held vigils and delivered the crosses to consulates and embassies of both countries, where they met with officials...activists from highschools, to colleges, to individual members sent some 3000 crosses to the washington, dc office alone on day of the dead, and more than a thousand have come in since...in most of the meetings, officials were welcoming, and acknowledged that femicides are a serious problem...however, amnesty international wants to send a clear message that the issue is still a priority, and you can help make this action even more successful than it has already been by continuing to create and send crosses through spring 2007...
to get more information on how to participate in this creative action click here for english and click here for spanish...
peace out <3
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