Afri (Action from Ireland) is a Dublin-based NGO that promotes human rights, peace, justice and environmentalism, especially in the Global South, with a focus on injustice caused by conflict. Its patron is Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Archived copy retrieved 10 April 2017 Another patron of is former UN Assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday.Fran Brady Writings: 'Causes', dated 2014, at franbradywritings.com Accessed 15 April 2017
It is a member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the International Peace Bureau, Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, and Irish Development Education Association.
Its offices are in Phibsboro, Dublin.
Mission Its mission is the promotion of global justice and peace, and the reduction of poverty; this includes, but is not limited to, the progressive reduction of global militarisation.
History Initially, as of 1 September 1975, AfRI was taken from the phrase "Aid from the Republic of Ireland". At the International Conference on World Peace and Poverty in 1982 the Afri name was re-designated, now meaning "Action from Ireland".History of Afri, at afri.ie Accessed 1 May 2017
Annual events
Famine Walk
Each year since 1988, Afri has hosted a Famine Walk to commemorate the Great Hunger at Doolough in south County Mayo.Áine Ryan, 17 May 2016: Remembering the Rising at the Doolough famine walk: "...While the walk examines the causes and effects of famine, the Food Sovereignty Assembly, now in its third year, asks ‘how do we resolve the issue?’..." at mayonews.ie Accessed 10 April 2017
Feile Bride Feile Bride celebrates and reflects on the spirit of St Brigid’s millennium-old message of justice, peace and hope. It happens annually in Kildare around the start of Spring in February. Its roots may be traced back to an episode in 1983 when five young men from Derry learned how to make Brigid Crosses and donated the proceeds from their sale to Afri. This developed into a schools’ campaign, the Brigid Peace Cross Campaign. Ten years later, in 1993, the first Féile Bríde was organized, to celebrate the success of the schools’ campaign, intended as a ‘one-off’ justice and peace conference. It was held in Kildare and has been re-run there every spring-time since.Website, www.afri.ie Accessed 15 April 2017
Hedge school Since 1998, Afri has runs a hedge school at different places around Ireland, which has become an annual event reflecting on 'contemporary issues of injustice and oppression through conversation, debate and music'.
Campaigns Afri initiated a national “active citizenship” campaign in 2010, after a Government-initiated 'Active Citizenship Office' was closed the previous year, saying “traditional sources of authority have proven to be ineffective”.Afri 'active citizenship' campaign for 2010, in 'CHANGING IRELAND' ISSUE 30/31 p.12 Accessed 11 April 2017"Rights body Afri plans citizenship campaign" 23 November, 2009, at irishtimes.com Accessed 10 April 2017
Afri were co-organisers of the POSSIBILITIES event, which in 2011 welcomed the Dalai Lama to Ireland.
In 2014, the organisation ran two petitions on Change.org including one to ban fracking and another to inspect war planes using Shannon Airport.
Their partnerships with the global south include the Kenya Pastoralist Journalist Network and the Niger Delta communities.
Afri also work in Northern Ireland with the charity Children in Crossfire.
References
External links Website, www.afri.ie Activelink ('the online network for Irish nonprofit organisations'): Home» Irish Links» World Development: AFrI (Archived) Listing for Afri on now-defunct page at mycharity.ie