Present a benefit evening featuring Iceandfire’s “On the Record.”

Thursday 21st July 7:30pm

By Christine Bacon and Noah Birksted-Breen
Director Michael Longhurst Designer Chloe Lamford

One of the most outstanding pieces of human rights writing since WW2 is Lasantha Wickmeratunga’s editorial in the Sri Lanka Sunday Leader. Here is the opening paragraph.

No other profession calls on its practitioners to lay down their lives for their art save the armed forces and, in Sri Lanka, journalism. In the course of the past few years, the independent media have increasingly come under attack. Electronic and print-media institutions have been burnt, bombed, sealed and coerced. Countless journalists have been harassed, threatened and killed. It has been my honour to belong to all those categories and now especially the last. (Read the rest here http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090111/editorial-.htm)

Sri Lanka continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists and human rights activists. The Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice – www.srilankacampaign.org was founded in the aftermath of the 2009 war, brilliantly and horrifically depicted in C4’s Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields last week. Now, with a newly recruited Director, we are holding a benefit evening on the second night of On the Record, a verbatim drama from iceandfire about 6 journalists challenging authority across the world, including Lasantha and his brother Lal.

Having had the pleasure of meeting some of you at your party in April, I want to offer members of YPHR the special rate of £15, including an after show glass of wine and Sri Lankan cake, and a chance to meet the Sri Lanka Campaign team. When you book – www.arcolatheatre.com or 020 7503 1646 – just ask for the student rate.

I do hope you can join us at the Arcola for what should be a great evening and chance to network with other people who are passionate about human rights.

Very best wishes,

Carolyn Hayman OBE
Chief Executive
Peace Direct