New Zealand and Global
Rise For Lives has been working in New Zealand since our inception. We've since expanded to over 20 nations around the world, including Australia, America, Mexico, The United Arab Emirates, Africa, Vietnam, and Canada. 60+ volunteers work in New Zealand alone, running fundraisers, educational events, and marches across the country.
Influencing Policy: Peace Marches
In February 2021 we ran a National Peace Walk for Yemen which over 10 cities from around New Zealand participated in. Cities included Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Auckland, Blenheim, Hamilton, and Invercargill. Our peace walk was fully non-political, with the purpose being to raise awareness about the Yemen crisis and encourage our government, after the Air NZ gas turbine revelations, to take more action to help restore peace in Yemen. Our work was amplified by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Yemen in In March of 2021, where our successes in the coordination of 10+ national events were recognised.
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We have a team of 20+ voluntary event coordinators, set to organize more awareness events throughout 2022 to encourage peaceful government action to help war torn areas such as Ukraine, which is our key focus in 2022.
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More information will be published once the date of our next national peace walk for Ukraine has been confirmed.
Groups involved with our 2021 peace march for Yemen.
Amnesty International Collaboration
We are one of the organizations involved with Amnesty's Joint Advocacy Letter which urges the end to the practice of detaining people seeking asylum in criminal justice facilities.
Presented to the Minister of Immigration & Minister of Justice, we signed in complete support of Amnesty's peaceful efforts for refugees worldwide.
Click here to learn more about the advocacy letter.
On Ground: Fundraising Events
In late 2020 and 2021 we organized and facilitated fundraising drives in schools around New Zealand, where we raised thousands (5K+) that went towards Save The Children who had agreed to directly send the funds to aid those in need in Yemen.
Fundraising events included bake sales, school mufti days and creative competitions.
Rise For Lives also held educational events in schools across the country with speakers on humanitarian crises. We had over 3000 young people directly participating both from primary and high schools across the country.
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In 2022 we partnered with 10+ schools around New Zealand to resume these activities, and on the 14th of April 2022, Stratford High School in Taranaki held a school wide fundraiser to support our peace efforts for Ukraine. Over 500 youth participated in challenges that supported them in learning more about the crisis and what they can do to make a change for Ukraine. Each class held a creativity challenge, where students designed posters, letters, and drawings for children coming into New Zealand from Ukraine. These were submitted to the Aroha for Ukraine book: a project which is being created for Ukrainian refugee children coming into New Zealand this year due to the Ukrainian conflict.
Stratford High School has raised hundreds in support of our coming peace resolution campaigns for Ukraine.
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Earth Diverse
Rise For Lives is in partnership with Earth Diverse, who facilitates educational workshops and events in New Zealand. In collaboration with Earth Diverse we’re in the process of organizing our next in person and virtual Rise For Lives event taking place on the 26th of May 2022 that will be focusing on educating people about various crises, including Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The in person event will be taking place in Hamilton, New Zealand, and will be streamed on our social media pages. There will be an opportunity for people to join internationally through Zoom.
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Speakers: Rise For Lives Directors, Timi Barabas and Beth Claire and EarthDiverse Director, Nona Morris
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Watch out for more information on the event. Announcement will be made this week with the details.
To learn more about our educational partner, click here.
Nona Morris (Director of Earth Diverse) and Timi Barabas (Director of Rise For Lives)
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