War Child Netherlands ambassador visits Chechnyan refugee camps
(WAR CHILD NL)
For a special Christmas TV documentary War Child Netherlands ambassador Marco Borsato recently visited the War Child childrens projects in several Chechnyan refugee camps in Ingushetia. Marco Borsato visited the Little Star Project, which is fully financed by War Child Netherlands as well as given full operational support. In this project War Child helps Chechnyan refugee children to deal with their horrible experiences of war.

Every week hundreds of children participate in the War Child creative therapy workshops. Marco spoke to children about their life in the refugee camps. He also checked out the different activities of War Child, to see how the organisation offers children a solution to come to terms with their often terrible trauma's of war. With music, dance, drama and arts the children playfully learn to use creativity to express their feelings again and find a way to to talk about their experiences. In this way they again become confident in themselves, in each other and the future. Upon returning home, Marco wrote down his own experiences in a diary which can be read on the dutch website.

More information about the Chechnya/Ingushetia projects

 View the Children in Ingushetia online photo exposition

AFGHAN FIELD DIARIES
(WAR CHILD CA)
December, 2001
Eric Hoskins and Seddiq Weera of War Child Canada, are now in Pakistan, close to the Afghanistan border. They will be reporting online on War Child's activities in the field. They will be sending back photographs and journal entries describing the humanitarian emergency and keeping you up-to-date with the Afghan crisis.

Follow their progress in the Online Afghan Field Diaries

Feast for Peace a great success!
(WAR CHILD NL)
October 10th, 2001 - Feast for Peace is a huge annual dining event in The Netherlands where hundreds of restaurants join together to raise funds and awareness for War Child. With many special events around the country, stars and celebrities working in the kitchen and behind the bar, whole streets of restaurants working together, and adults and children joining forces to make this a very special day. Every restaurant pledged to give at least ten percent of their evenings turnover to War Child.

On october 10th The Netherlands went dining voor a peaceful future for children of war! For the third time Feast for Peace was a great success. A lot of funds were raised and at the same time focussed broad attention at the fate of children in warzones.

Dozens of restaurants organised special events like auctions, cooking together with children and charitydinners. In restaurant 'het Weeshuis' in Utrecht children from class 7 served dinner and organised an entertainmentshow. Also many celebrities worked for War Child. War Child ambassador Marco Borsato cooked in a fully booked restaurant 'Henry's' in Alkmaar. The restaurant donated the entire nights turnover of fl30.000,- ($14.000) to War Child. The auction of tickets to 'De Ondeugd', where many celebrities where united for War Child, was a great succes. Amongst others Georgina Verbaan, Johnny de Mol and Martijn Krabbé were part of the celebrity restaurant staff, and others worked behind the bar. This auction raised another fl 30.000,-.

For more information about this special War Child event, see the FFP website www.feastforpeace.nl

New mini-site War Child Netherlands now online

Have a look at the new dutch online campaign, designed in Flash, featuring old and young children of war, telling their story and showing a way to take the war out of a child.

View this online special of the TV commercial

Conflict Diamonds Campaign
(War Child CA)
Conflict or blood diamonds are diamonds that come from areas controlled by forces fighting legitimate and internationally recognized governments.

Rebel armies in war-torn countries such as Angola, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo use proceeds from diamond sales to finance the purchase of arms, to keep allegiances alive, and to pay and feed their troops. These rebel armies are responsible for the death and torture of hundreds of thousands of civilians, the recruitment of child soldiers and the kidnap and rape of young women and girls.

3 easy steps for you to make an impact:
-Follow and support War Child Canada's upcoming Conflict Diamonds campaign.Visit www.warchild.ca for more information and updates.
-Sign the conflict free diamond petition.
-When you buy a diamond, ask your jeweler for a certificate of origin and let he/she know that you won't but a conflict diamond!

Bløf Live CD for War Child
(War Child NL)
The Dutch band Bløf is releasing a special live-CD in remembrance of Chris Götte , the drummer of the band who was recently killed in an accident. De whole proceeds of the CD will go to War Child Netherlands.

The CD is a farewell and a remembrance to both the band and their fans. "We want to do something beautiful for Chris", according to the bandmembers of Bløf. "We can't think of any bigger tribute to him than this record". The CD can already be ordered, but will be released on June 14th 2001 and will be sold until Christmas. Many companies and people who have contributed to the making of the record did so without any payment.

This is not the first time Bløf has worked together with War Child, they also performed in aid of the charity at the annual nationwide Liberation Festivals in the Netherlands, in one day-long big effort flying around in a chopper visiting the many festivals around the country.

The CD can only be ordered through the website of Bløf.

Take The Stand: Youth Forum On International Criminal Justice
(WAR CHILD CA)
The Forum will take place on March 1-3, 2002, in Ottawa, Ontario. This event will provide young Canadians, with a forum on how to take action on the issues related to the International Criminal Court (ICC) such as: - War crimes, Crimes against humanity, Genocide, Impunity, Individual criminal responsibility vs. state responsibility, Corporate responsibility, Child soldiers, Terrorism

If you are a young Canadian between the ages of 15-25 , you are eligible to apply to be a participant of the forum! A team of experts and leaders will encourage you to develop your ideas regarding international humanitarian law and you will be given the opportunity to improve your leadership and lobbying skills.

The final day to receive applications is January 25, 2002. For more information please go to www.warchild.ca. If you have any questions or comments about the ICC, the event, or the application process: please contact us at War Child Canada: e-mail: info@warchild.ca, phone: (613) 562-3334

WAR CHILD CANADA CONCERT 2001
(WAR CHILD CA)
September 8th, 2001 The Forks; Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada .Canada's own Our Lady Peace (www.ourladypeace.com) and Chantal Kreviazuk (www.chantalkreviazuk.com) will be the headlining performers at this year's benefit concert for War Child Canada at The Forks in Winnipeg.
"We are honoured to be involved with the War Child Canada concert in Winnipeg," says Raine Maida, the lead singer of one of Canada's most successful bands, Our Lady Peace. "War Child Canada is truly an amazing organization run by extraordinary people. Their intentions are pure and we are proud to be playing the concert."

One of Canada's leading female recording artists Chantal Kreviazuk, will be returning to play in this year's concert. "I have now seen the impact of war on children first hand. We all have an opportunity to make a difference here and I am proud to be able to do my part." Chantal Kreviazuk helped to bring 80,000 fans to last year's event, War Child Concert 2000; which helped to raise over $160,000 in on-site donations for the cause. These proceeds went to benefit International Projects in support of war-affected children in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

There will be hundreds of volunteers with special War Child Canada Volunteer t-shirts circulating at the concert to make donating easy. While the War Child Canada Concert 2001 is a free event, the charity only benefits if you make a donation. So, if you are planning to attend the concert, please make a suggested donation of $10 while you are there to support the cause and help to make a difference in the lives of these young victims of war.

www.warchild.ca

Country Wide Liberation Festivals are a big success
(War Child NL)
Each year on May 5 the Netherlands celebrate the fact that we live in freedom. We stand and think about the meaning of Peace. Fortunately most Dutch children will never experience the horrors of war. In the Netherlands there are a lot of children from countries where war is still raging, they do know the value of Peace.

War Child Netherlands is a partner of the Nationaal Comite 4 en 5 mei with the organisation of the Liberation Festivals. The central theme of the festivals this year was "Living Without Fear". War Child focussed the theme on " Music as an instrument against Fear". Music plays a central role in the work of War Child projects worldwide.

Trijntje Oosterhuis performed for War Child at the festivals in Haarlem, Assen, Leeuwarden and Almere.She performed together with groups of Dutch children and with Joseph Bangura, who esspecially flew over for this events from Sierra Leone (West-Africa). Joseph and Trijntje focussed attention on the situation of children in this West-African country Sierra Leone. Tens of thousands bof boys and girtls have become victims of war and violence. War Child Netherlands recently started an aid programme for these children. The public could participate during the show with special War Child shakers, i.e. plastic samba-balls. At the War Child stands at the twelve Festival cities people could get additional information about the work War Child does and the different projects. Children could also participate in a drawing contest about Peace and Freedom.

More information about the Liberation Festivals at www.warchild.nl

Nationaal Comite 4 en 5 mei

Let Your Colours Shine
(War Child CA)
In Canada Fujifilm has teamed-up with What Magazine and musician Chantal Kreviazuk for a contest called "Let Your Colours Shine". Readers and youth alike, are invited to snap photos of their friends doing something fun to win an exclusive interview with Chantal Kreviazuk for an upcoming issue of What Magazine. The grand prize winner will also receive $2,500 worth of Fujifilm products for their school, $500 for their school's yearbook or photography club, and $1 000 donation in their school's name to Chantal Kreviazuk's charity of choice, War Child Canada (www.warchild.ca).

This is yet another chance to involve your friends and make a difference in the lives of youth in war-torn areas.

For more information about the contest, email info@warchild.ca

WAR2MUSIC: Video diaries from the field
(War Child CA)
WAR2MUSICis a War Child Canada special project. You can become a part of the journey and a part of the answer. Travel with the production team and the artists of the War2Music project; a documentary about war affected children, live online broadcasts, fils. photo's, interviews and diaries from a.o. Kosovo, the Thai/Burmese border and Sierra Leone. Check out the supercool website in flash: www.war2music.com

They have just returned from the Middle East working with War Child Canada on a special documentary, War2Music, which will be broadcast later this Spring on Much Music.Share in this special online event and find out all about the artists' experiences with War Child Canada by visiting www.war2music.com.
Space is limited. Only the first 100 people online can participate. If one person leaves the chat- be the first to login at that moment and you too can chat with Chantal and Raine live! To be reminded of this exciting event and other great events register for a reminder at www.war2music.com

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