Soul-nourishing alternative to traditional gift-giving

Give Something Big – Give the Gift of Equality
Inter Pares offers soul-nourishing alternative to traditional gift-giving

Canadian social justice organization Inter Pares (meaning “among equals”) is proud to offer “Give Something Big” – a holiday giving campaign supporting causes for peace and social justice around the globe. Instead of battling through the stores during the December gift rush, Inter Pares offers festive cards and customizable animated e-cards to accompany your donation to causes that change the lives and livelihoods of people who are changing their societies for the better.

Donations to Give Something Big contribute directly to the work of a wide variety of organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Canada. The focus ranges from violence against women, food sovereignty, refugees and displaced people`s rights, peace building, health, and fair economies. All projects address the structural roots of poverty, injustice, and obstacles to public participation, and promote more equitable futures.

“To give a gift that brings transformative social change, contributing to the empowering of people within their own communities, is truly special,” says Rita Morbia, Executive Director of Inter Pares. Most projects are in countries that have past or present internal armed conflict and dictatorships. Special emphasis is placed on the leadership of women and marginalized communities. Many of these organizations work at the national level, but collaborate closely with grassroots groups.

Projects that are supported by Give Something Big include:

• International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice’s social action training to promote Burmese women’s leadership in grassroots peace building efforts.

• The Centre for Legal Action in Human Rights in Guatemala’s support to women survivors of conflict in their ground breaking legal cases against human rights violators.

• The Gender Centre for Research and Training in Sudan’s advocating for women’s political participation in the country’s 2010 elections.

Inter Pares operates out of a modest office in Ottawa. For the work they do overseas, they partner with existing on-the-ground organizations that are working to promote justice in their own communities. Their support strengthens the work of local groups and encourages them in the development and implementation of their own programs.

For more information on Give Something Big, visit www.givesomethingbig.com.
For more information on Inter Pares, visit www.interpares.ca.