Resistance & Resilience: The Activist Practices of
Cindy and Craig Corrie
Wednesday, May 1 (7:00 – 9:00 pm)
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA) 1-182
Corner of 114 St & 87 Ave, University of Alberta (map)
Invite your friends to the Facebook event!
PSN is thrilled to welcome Cindy and Craig Corrie back to Edmonton!
Cindy and Craig Corrie were brought to the issue of Palestine in 2003 when their daughter Rachel Corrie traveled to Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians engaged in nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation. Rachel was killed as she stood in the way of the military’s demolition of a Palestinian family’s home. The Corries will share that history, their experiences as activists during the past sixteen years, the growth and broadening of the movement for Palestinian rights in the U.S. and throughout the world, the intersections between Palestine and other human rights issues, and the challenges and opportunities before us in 2019.
This is a free event. Donations to the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Human Rights are gratefully accepted.
PSN is a Working Group of the Alberta Public Interest Research Group (APIRG), which provided financial support for this event.
About Cindy and Craig Corrie
Cindy and Craig Corrie are the parents of human rights activist and observer Rachel Corrie who on March 16, 2003, was killed by an Israeli military, Caterpillar D9R bulldozer in the Gaza Strip as she tried to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family’s home. Motivated by their daughter’s work and example, the Corries have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of justice and peace in the Middle East and have made numerous visits to the region, most recently in 2012 and 2016 leading Interfaith Peace-Builder delegations to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. “Rachel wrote of the importance of making commitments to places and initiated this one to Rafah and Gaza. The commitment she made continues,” said Cindy Corrie.
The Corries have continued to seek accountability in the case of their daughter and to promote changes in U.S. foreign policy in Israel/Palestine through efforts with the U.S. Congress, U.S. Departments of State and Justice, the Israeli Government, the Israeli and U.S. court systems, and at the corporate headquarters of Caterpillar Inc.
Encouraged by U.S. officials, the Corrie family in 2005 filed a civil lawsuit in Israel in their daughter’s case. On March 10, 2010, seven years after Rachel Corrie’s killing, oral argument in the case began in Haifa District Court. It proceeded with sporadic court dates until a final hearing on July 10, 2011. In an August 28, 2012 ruling, Judge Oded Gershon absolved the Israeli military and state of all responsibility. The Corries filed an appeal with the Israeli Supreme Court, which on February 12, 2015 exempted the Israeli defense ministry from liability for actions by its forces that it deemed to be “wartime activity,” refusing to assess whether those actions violated applicable laws of armed conflict.
Rachel Corrie was a prolific and gifted writer. With their daughter Sarah, the Corries co-edited Let Me Stand Alone: the Journals of Rachel Corrie, a collection of Rachel’s poetry, essays, letters and journal entries, published by W.W. Norton & Co in 2008. The Corries speak widely of their daughter’s story and experience, and of their own work with the people of Palestine and Israel They have been frequent guests at post-performance discussions of the play My Name is Rachel Corrie, co-edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner, and produced in theaters across the U.S. and world.
The Corries have resided in Olympia, Washington, for over forty years where with community supporters, they now carry on the work of the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. In December 2010, the foundation was recognized for “outstanding service for Human Rights-Unique Achievement” by the Thurston County Diversity Council. The Corries are recipients of a Human Rights Advocate of the Year Award from Seattle University’s Human Rights Network and a Pillar of Peace Award from the Pacific Northwest Region of the American Friends Service Committee. In October 2012, they accepted the LennonOno Grant for Peace on behalf of their daughter Rachel.
Find out more about the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice.
Getting There
The Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA) is located on the southwest corner of 87 Avenue and 114 Street on the University of Alberta campus (map). ECHA is adjacent to the Jubilee Auditorium.
The building’s north entrance is closest to Room 1-182.
ECHA is a fully accessible building.
Parking
Parking is available at the Jubilee car park (map) and just across the street on the northeast corner of 87 Avenue and 114 Street the Education car park (map).
Transit
Take the LRT to the Health Sciences Centre Station, which is located just south of ECHA.
Take Edmonton transit to the 114 Street and 89 Avenue stop of the University of Alberta bus loop (map) and walk just south to ECHA.
Cycling
Ample bicycle parking is located near the north entrance of ECHA.
