PBI brigadista information webinar, October 24

To register for a PBI brigadista information webinar with Charlotte and Anuja, please click here.

PBI-USA and PBI-Canada are jointly organizing a PBI brigadista information webinar that will take place on Sunday October 24 at 2 pm EST.

Join us to hear from frontline PBI volunteers in Latin America about what it’s like to accompany at-risk human rights defenders.

Find out what a day in their life is like, what the application process is like, and ask any questions that you might have about being a brigadista.

To register for this webinar, please click here.

Two of our confirmed speakers are Charlotte and Anuja.

Charlotte, PBI-Colombia

Charlotte has stated:

“What convinced me to get involved with PBI Colombia is the protective role that foreigners (with non-Colombian citizenship) can play in enabling the local Colombian population to develop their own local ways of life, a role that in an ideal post-colonial and decolonial world should not exist.

In addition, the initial and ongoing training within the project in Colombia reassures me that I am not involved in “voluntourism”.

Finally, being able to help and give some protection to the fight against land dispossession and against the model of economic development damaging the environment and local communities are yet more reasons that brought me here.”

Anuja, PBI-Guatemala

And Anuja has shared:

“Every week I gather new experiences: conversations with ambassadors, the Guatemalan authorities, observations of demonstrations and court hearings. But most important are the accompaniment of human rights defenders and environmental and land defenders in their important work. In addition, there is living together with my nine teammates – at PBI it never gets boring!

My most impressive experience so far was my first escort outside the capital, when we visited human rights defenders in prison who had been criminalized for their efforts to defend land and water. In talking to them, I was not only impressed by their ability to continue their struggle despite all the obstacles and difficulties but was also strengthened in my perception of the importance of protective support.”

To register to hear more from Charlotte and Anuja, please click here.