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May 2026 Meeting & April Updates

Thank you to everyone who was involved in the creation of these updates, your efforts are appreciated. If you prefer, you can read them as a PDF.

At a time when fundamental rights are under threat across the globe, join Amnesty International, get involved with our local Amnesty Group and play your part in helping to promote and defend vital human rights across the world.

We warmly invite both newcomers and familiar faces alike to attend the next meeting of the Amnesty International Glasgow West Group.

This update includes:

  • Details of our forthcoming May 2026 meeting;
  • Updates on recent and planned events and actions;
  • A summary of AIUK's latest Local Group updates;
  • The minutes from our local Group's April meeting; and
  • A note of all our monthly meeting dates for 2026.

May 2026 Glasgow West AI Group Meeting

Thursday 14th April, Woodlands International Methodist Church, 7:30pm – 9pm

The Glasgow West Amnesty Group's next meeting will take place on Thursday 14th May 2026 at 7.30pm – 9pm in Woodlands International Church, Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6LW.

Anyone curious about Amnesty International is most welcome to just turn up and join our meetings. We would love to see you there!

Our next meeting will include:

  • A brief review of our recent activities;
  • Discussion and planning on upcoming future events/actions; and
  • Undertaking letter writing on recent Urgent Action alerts from AIUK.

Join our Meetings online

Anyone unable / unavailable to physically come along, is welcome to join our monthly meetings online via this link.

(It will be the same link for all subsequent meetings).

North Glasgow Against Racism Event

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Photo credit - Amnesty Glasgow West

In April, members of our local Amnesty Group participated in the North Glasgow Against Racism march and also hosted a stall at the subsequent event held in Maryhill Burgh Halls. There was a huge turnout, with live bands, food and a variety of stallholders. Our Amnesty stall attracted interest from and discussions with a wide range of attendees.

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Photo credit - Amnesty Glasgow West

Community Film Screening: Everybody to Kenmure Street

Sunday 17th May 2026, 4PM

Maryhill Against Racism, in partnership with Maryhill Burgh Halls, are hosting a community screening of the film ‘Everybody to Kenmure Street' (12a).

The film portrays the spontaneous act of civil resistance that sprang up as the multicultural community in Glasgow's Southside came together on a mission to stop their neighbours' deportation. The eight hour stand-off that ensued demonstrated the power of peaceful solidarity. The film won the Special Jury Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The screening takes place on Sunday 17th May at 4pm Further information via this link.

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Glasgow Southside March Against Racism

Sunday 18th April 2026, 1200

Another march against racism and to demonstrate unity is taking place on Sunday 19th April, assembling at 12noon in Newlands Park. Members of our Group are planning to attend.

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Scottish Parliamentary Election 2026

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Activists from across Amnesty's Scottish Groups campaigned during the run-up to the Scottish Parliamentary Election to promote a Human Rights Bill for Scotland. With support from AIUK and AI Scotland staff, volunteers undertook training sessions, held hustings and canvassed those standing in order to promote a Human Rights Bill as a key priority for the next Scottish Government's Programme for Government.

The human rights manifesto published by Amnesty International set out our calls for the next Scottish government to create a fairer, more equal Scotland.

Additional information and resources relating to the human rights manifesto can also be accessed via the above link.

Keep Palantir out of Scotland's NHS

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``No company that profits from widespread human rights violations should have a place in our NHS.'' — Neil Cowan, Scotland Programme Director, Amnesty International UK

Amnesty International has urged Scottish party leaders to commit to opposing any future NHS Scotland contract with Palantir – the U.S software company profiting from human rights violations, including the genocide in Gaza.

Palantir's tools are currently used by the Israeli military as they commit genocide against Palestinians in occupied Gaza. The company also supplies ICE with tools that are used to track and surveil migrants in the US.

In recent years, Palantir has been expanding into the UK. In 2023 NHS England awarded a £330 million contract to provide a new data platform.

In a letter to all Scottish party leaders, Amnesty's Scotland Programme Director Neil Cowan said voters deserve to know whether politicians will act to keep Palantir out of Scotland's NHS before casting their votes in the Scottish Parliament election.

Further details on this link. Note that Amnesty UK is also running a Palantir campaign, as detailed in the Palantir Campaign Update section.

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Amnesty UK Local Updates

Below is a selection of some of the issues featured in the latest monthly update for Local Groups from Amnesty UK.

Demand Justice For Unecebo Mboteni

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Demand justice for Unecebo Mboteni

The 19 of April 2026 marks two years since the tragic death of three-year old Unecebo Mboteni's from falling into a pit toilet in his pre-school. Many of you joined the call to demand justice for this unjust and preventable death by writing solidarity messages to his family in their time of need and sending appeals to the institutions that failed Unecebo and have neglected other nursery children from experiencing the simple joys of pre-school and safe sanitation. To use Unecebo's father Loyiso words ``My son died in a death trap set up for poor people … his death will not be in vain''.

With this in mind, we are asking you to do any of the following actions:

Continue to write messages of solidarity to Loyiso and Andwisa to Nandi Luneta (AIUK South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini Country Coordinator) since the 2025 Write for Rights page is now closed. Nandi will send these on to local campaigners who will be meeting Unecebo's family soon.

For educators to use the Safety and dignity in education toolkit to enable young people to take action for justice by writing to the Minister of Basic Education.

Take Action Now

A Million Acts of Hope

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JOIN US IN A MILLION ACTS OF HOPE: 13 to 20 May 2026

Amnesty International UK is joining hundreds of other charities and organisations around the UK to take part in `A Million Acts of Hope', a week of action from 13 to 20 May.

At a time when division may feel loud, A Million Acts of Hope is all about doing small or big acts of kindness to bring people and communities together.

Whether big or small, every act of kindness counts. Some ideas could be:

  • Putting up an Amnesty postcard in your window
  • Giving out messages of kindness in your community
  • Donating food – or running a neighbourhood collection for your local food bank
  • Joining local community events (e.g. at places of worship, community centres) if they are taking place
  • Hosting a local community meal
  • Taking part in an Amnesty campaign or action – either by yourself or with an Amnesty group or network
  • Visiting an Amnesty bookshop

If you are doing planning to do something – or have any questions - please get in touch!

Email us on millionacts@amnesty.org.uk ** to tell us what you're doing (and share pictures or info when you do it)

For more information, visit the `A Million Acts of Hope' website.

Thank you! 🙏

Get involved!

Palantir Campaign Update

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Thanks to everyone who joined our webinar on Tuesday 28 April to hear about the No Palantir campaign. It was fantastic to see so many local group activists interested in joining or launching a local campaign, to lobby NHS Trusts and ICBs to say no to Palantir. If you missed it, you can watch the recording.

Excitingly, the campaign is gaining momentum, and the Government are definitely feeling the pressure.

On 16 April, a Parliamentary debate saw MPs from all sides criticise Palantir, with almost half referencing Palantir's links to human rights abuses. This is a win, but we need to keep up the pressure to make sure the Government is pushed to terminate the contract!

On Saturday 18 April, at the Midlands Regional Gathering, the brilliant Leicester-based activists from Health Workers for a Free Palestine led a workshop on their local campaign and how to get involved. We then held a protest to draw attention to the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust's lack of response to local activists calling for the Trust to say no to Palantir's FDP, as Greater Manchester ICB did last year.

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Over 1,000 new activists have now signed up to join the campaign through our webpage, and 25 local groups have committed to joining or creating a local campaign. If you're a local group planning to campaign against Palantir locally, please make sure you've designated a campaign lead and communicated this to me via email.

Further events:

Reach out to me with any questions about how to get involved, and see more detailed info on how to get started in this downloadable campaign pack.

A big thanks to all the groups, Networks, and individuals who have committed to joining this campaign so far! 🙏

In solidarity, Amika – Community Organiser, Local Activism

Downloadable Campaign Pack

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April 2026 Updates

Amnesty Glasgow West Group Meeting Thurs 9th April 2026

Minutes

Link to April meeting email here

  1. Welcome and apologies
    1. Attendance: Clara, Kirstie, Claire, Debra, Ken, Carol, Paolo, Andrew, Luca, Lauren, Adah, Mark
    2. Guest speaker - Ashraf from AIUK
    3. Apologies: Mhairi, Fatma, Merle, Pam
  2. Agreement of previous meeting minutes link
  3. Team Updates (list of roles here):
    1. Treasurer
      1. postage from letters: / (no letters last meeting)
      2. other expenditure: Meal - total £798.98 (Kirstie has breakdown)
      3. donations: £40 extra , £548 card, £591 cash, £34 tins
        1. £400 donation from our Group to the Ele Elan Elak organisation - Kirstie donating through website/bank transfer
    2. Social Media & website (Lauren): Our Twitter account is now closed 🙂
      • New Community Platform - thanks to Lauren and Rob for setting up our page on the platform & doing the training
    3. Regional/Country focus (Clara): Uighurs Solidarity Month - 19.04.26 webinar; Clara will share the link
    4. Prisoner of Conscience/Individual At Risk (Mhairi) - Mhairi has been in touch with the Los Angeles group about Eren Keskin but not yet heard back.
    5. Not currently active: Theme Focus US Death Penalty
  4. Updates from local groups (Daytime / Glasgow Uni / AIUK)
    1. Happy news for Daytime Group - c.8 members attending the most recent meeting in their new venue of Partick Library, including a number of new members
  5. Updates from Scottish Activism Rep (Paolo) / Scotland-wide WhatsApp group chat

    1. “Persuasive Conversation Activation Session” - Ashraf & Mike from AIUK will do a training session followed by canvassing session on Sunday 19.04.26, 10am-3.30pm - 90 minutes training, and 2x 90 minute door-knocking sessions with a break for lunch. Are people available/interested? More info: https://6AQ2Ay.short.gy/67orxR

      1. People interested, but not very available! Other dates: Saturday 18 April, Sunday 19 April, Saturday 25 April, Sunday 26 April - Claire to ask Mike for availability - 26th - Carol, Claire, ?Ken

      Guest Speaker: Ashraf

      Q: Why do the training/canvassing?

      • Goal 1: we learn as individuals
      • Goal 2: recruitment drive for AIUK
      • Goal 3: wider issue how we campaign during elections

      Q: How to deal with political aspect as a non-political org

      • Say that we are not party political. We are encouraging voters to support HR Bill ; when people are voting, pls support HRs ; we encourage people to contact their MSP candidates re HR Bill
      • Pushback: Can we say what parties' responses have been e.g. SNP and Greens say they want to re-introduce the HR Bill?
      • Yes, we could do this - stating factual info and asking people to contact candidates themselves
      • Suggestion: AI Scotland staff need to lobby civil servants, politicians and their key political advisors to ensure that the proposed HR Bill is prioritised in the political Party negotiations that will commence immediately following the election regarding the priorities (and resource allocation) that will feature in the new Scottish Government's Programme for Government.
      • Encourage all to join the recurring training sessions - link here: https://calendly.com/events-amnesty
      • @Lauren to share on SM
    2. Tuesday 13.04.26, 3pm: meeting with Neil Cowan, AI Scotland Office Lead, re. Human Rights Manifesto. Contact Paolo for joining link
  6. Urgent Appeals - Merle # of letters written during meeting: [ ] Tally for the year: [ ]
  7. Reflections on the Community Meal (22.03.26)
    1. Fantastic teamwork as always, esp flexibility on the day to take on roles/pick up where needed
    2. Lots of non-AIUK folk, but most within the activist bubble
    3. Chefs were amazing, food was fantastic - “best falafel ever tased” “best sticky toffee pudding” “brilliant lentil soup”
      1. Urn took ages - needs to be put on fast
    4. Timing (Sunday, 11-3) - perfect; some people showed up late; finished around 2.30
    5. £ to Amnesty local group plus external org; clear line between funding pots
    6. Card reader great, as always!
    7. Guest speakers
      1. ?Too many speakers and too long
      2. Challenges to get people to commit / clear briefing beforehand on purpose of the speakers; call to action for speakers is important and setting clear time limits on each speaker
      3. Mic quality wasn't good ; prepare speakers so they speak v clearly
    8. Stalls: more stalls would be good; shops
    9. Raffle prizes
      1. Photos were sent to Jangling Spaces of the raffle prizes they donated. They were v pleased and said they'd happily donate prizes for future events
      2. Lauren, SM post to thank everyone & tag orgs - done
      3. For future events, we need to allow more time to get raffle prizes
    10. Invitations / publicity
      1. Need to remember to invite politicians - Councillors / MSPs / MPs - & journalists
      2. Missed the 3-week deadline to get AIUK to send to local members from their contact list - look at Glasgow postcodes that they use, as they do not seem to cover wider members who might attend a Glasgow event
    11. Let's get a stand up banner (?Perth group has template maybe); c£40
    12. It was helpful for the event to focus on a specific subject, not just a general AIUK meal
    13. Venue was very expensive. Could try Pyramid at Anderston (in the summer, no heating!)

  8. North Glasgow Against Racism event - Sunday 12.04.26 - who can come - march & stall

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    11.30am: Maryhill Burgh Halls open for stalls set up.

    • 11am - Claire and Andrew for stall
    • 11.30-12pm- Paolo, Clara, Claire
    • 1.30pm - Carole
    • Clara - can take stuff at the end in car
    • Petition: make letter to the new First Minister - Paolo to write, Luca to print, Paolo to pick up
    • Claire to print off the Glasgow poster re contact MSP
    • Prevent petition - Claire to bring laptop

    12pm: Marchers meet at the entrance to Maryhill Park on Maryhill Road. → Tesco Extra, loop around the back of the store and finish at Maryhill Burgh Halls

    1.30pm Marchers arrive at Maryhill Burgh Halls Greeted by SheBoom; bands. Food available; Stalls

    2.00pm-3.40pm: Speeches, music, stalls, food!

    @Lauren - pls share on SM.

    No cost, but have asked for a donation to Maryhill Against Racism

    • Agreed £50 donation - & share on SM

  9. Stand Up to Racism Unity March - 19.04.26

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    • Starting from Newlands Park, G43 2RN at 12pm
    • End Kenmure Street
    • Free to attend, any donations greatly appreciated
  10. 2026 Plan for the year ahead - Glasgow West 2026 Planner.docx
    1. Anyone attending Amplify Summit and AGM - 27/28 June 2026, Brighton
  11. Discussion/brainstorm:
    1. How can we get new active members?
    2. How can we keep active members?
    3. Any suggestions for the current/new role-holders on how to conduct their role?
  12. Community mapping - anyone interested?

  13. AOB

    Potential Speakers for 2026:

    • [Refugee Action - potentially joint event with Daytime group - awaiting update from Graham in Daytime Group]
    • Clara: journalist from Somalia - Clara to check his availability and if needs transport/accommodation
    • Paulo: law professor re. UK supreme court ruling that affects trans rights.
    • AIUK Equality Network speaker - Ailig to look into - how to have conversations w family and friends

    • Ebba: Palestinian researcher:

      https://sgsahblog.com/2025/01/27/activist-ethnography-in-palestine/

    • Refugees at Home - have contacted us to ask if we'd like a speaker
    • [Amicus: after find out about Death Penalty network - admin@amicus-alj.org - Allan]
  14. Next meeting - Thurs 14th May 2026

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2026 Meeting Dates

New Members very welcome!

The Group meets every second Thursday of each month at 7.30pm - 9pm.

The meetings take place at Woodlands Methodist Church, 229 Woodlands Road, G3 6LW

For further information contact mail@glasgowwestamnesty.org.uk

  • Thursday 8th January 2026
  • Thursday 12th February 2026
  • Thursday 12th March 2026
  • Thursday 9th April 2026
  • Thursday 14th May 2026
  • Thursday 11th June 2026
  • Thursday 9th July 2026
  • Thursday 13th August 2026
  • Thursday 10th September 2026
  • Thursday 8th October 2026
  • Thursday 12th November 2026
  • Thursday 10th December 2026

BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS

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