Join us June 24-26 at Tatamagouche Centre for our annual gathering and meeting. This year, we are happy to announce that Franklin Valenzuela from Jodvid will join us. He will also take part in a Maritimes tour before the gathering. Sunday, June 19 at Conserver House in Fredericton and other dates coming soon!
Franklin is an 18 year old youth and environmental activist from Mataquescuintla, Jalapa. His family has been part of the civil society resistance to the Escobal mining project, owned be Canandian/US company Tahoe Resources. Both his father and uncle have been criminalized for their involvement; Franklin’s uncle spent over 8 months in jail in 2013- 2014 and was never charged with a crime. Franklin, who is studying to be a mechanic, has emerged as a leader in his community. He is a founder and representative of Jodvid (Youth Organized in the Defense of Life), an organization created by the family and friends of Topacio Reynoso, another youth activist from Mataquescuintla, who was murdered on April 13, 2014 in an armed attack, which also left her father, Alex Reynoso seriously injured. While in Canada, Franklin will accept the first Topacio Reynoso Award on behalf of JODVID.
Franklin will be speaking about the struggles of youth in his community, the effects of living by the Tahoe Resource’s Escobal mine and the work on Jodvid. Details for Franklin Valenzuela’s speaking tour:
Friday, June 17 in Toronto: Solidarity Picnic, 5-10pm Christie Pits Park. More information here.
Sunday, June 19 in Fredericton: Conserver House, 180 Saint John St. 7-9pm. More information here.
Monday, June 20 in Charlottetown: Faculty Lounge, Main Building, University of Prince Edward Island. 7-9pm. More information here.
Thursday, June 23 in Antigonish: Ineractive Exploration of the social and environmental impacts of Canadian mining. People’s Place Library, 6:30-8:30pm. More information here.
Friday, June 24 in Tatamagouche: Panel with youth social justice activists from the Maritimes and Franklin. Tatamagouche Centre, 7pm. More information here.
Registration For BTS Annual Gathering Here.
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