Making a global positive impact – and having fun with it!
“Write a letter – save a life” Challenge!!!
How would you feel about saving a life by writing a simple letter? If this sounds like something you may be up for, then join the “Write a letter – save a life” challenge!
The lovers’ day may seem all about chocolates and roses to some, but much more can be done to spread the true, unconditional love around the world. In the spirit of the random acts of kindness week, MAD DAWN Challenge calls upon every one of you reading this post to consider saving a life for nothing in return.
How?
It is actually easier than you may think. Amnesty International lists individual cases on its website, as well as most pressing featured cases that need urgent international attention: people featured on the site experience long-term unlawful imprisonment and some are in danger of execution. All you need to do is click on “learn more” under any (or all!) of the cases, then click “take action”. You will be directed to a pre-written letter form that you can edit. Add your name and other information and hit “send”. Your letter will be sent to the respective authorities.
You may also find respective authorities’ snail-mail addresses and hand-write them a physical letter. Use the AI template text as a guideline, sign your name and dispatch the letter by air mail. Government officials are actually obligated to open every physical piece of correspondence that arrives – imagine how ‘happy’ they are every time Amnesty calls for action and bags of letters from around the world start arriving! The letters can be very short and to the point.
You can even find your local AI office, if there is one in your town, and attend their letter-writing gatherings. I had personally gone to a few such meetings to write letters. I am guilty of dropping out because my university schedule clashed with Wednesday meeting time, but I will try to occasionally pop in and pick up a few more cases to write letters on (yes, you can take cases print-outs home with you and write your letters at home, too!).
This may seem like of very little significance, but AI has a long story of successful campaigns for prisoner release. Regimes that are involved in unlawful detentions normally try to operate under hush-hush conditions. Governments and officials who are flooded by thousands of letters feel the pressure to save face, the pressure of the international community. When this pressure mounts up, they realize they are getting too much bad publicity and very often are forced to take corrective action.
On behalf of the MAD DAWN Challenge project, I personally pledge to send out a letter for every currently listed case this week! I challenge you to do this as well and to invite everyone you know to do the same!!! Let us know how it went in the comments!
) can be channeled to better use. And 5-10 minutes a day aren’t beyond any of us, too!
I didn’t know Amnesty International had write-ins, so to speak. I like the idea of a physical letter having to be opened. More impactful.