Post by specialk on Jul 18, 2007 15:58:01 GMT -5
Walter Koenig will visit Thailand to meet refugees who have fled from Burma, a country that is under a violent military regime. Walter is very interested in the struggle going on in Burma, and will be making the trip to attempt to focus world attention on the regime's ongoing attack on civilians.
Official Press Release:
Hollywood Actor from Legendary Show "Star Trek" To Visit Burmese Refugees
(Los Angeles and Bangkok, Thailand) A star from the worldwide legendary television show "Star Trek", Walter Koenig, will visit Thailand to meet refugees who have fled from Burma's military regime in an attempt to focus world attention on the regime's ongoing attacks on civilians.
While much less known to the world, the number of villages destroyed in eastern Burma is twice that in Darfur, Sudan.
He will be available for photos opportunities while meeting with refugees at Mae Tao Medical Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand on July 20th at 10:00 am.
After his trip, he will meet with members of the media at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in Bangkok on July 24th at 11:00 am.
The Star Trek franchise is a multi-billion dollar industry, currently owned by CBS, and is shown in over 100 countries around the world.
One of the show's most popular characters, Koenig played Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek series alongside William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, and others. The TV series is said to be one of the biggest popular culture phenomena of modern times.
Koenig is best known for his role playing the likeable, perpetually cheerful Pavel Chekov on Star Trek and the hated, intensely driven Alfred Bester on television hit Babylon 5. Koenig?s film work includes the first seven Star Trek feature films, for which he earned two Saturn Award Best Supporting Actor nominations.
Burma's military regime has burned down or otherwise destroyed over 3,000 villages in eastern Burma over the past 10 years, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees and internally displaced. Hundreds of thousands have fled across the border into neighboring Thailand.
======================
Facts on Burma
- Burma's military junta has recruited more child soldiers than any other
country in the world, up to 70,000
- The junta has destroyed over 3,000 villages in eastern Burma (to put in
context, this is twice as many as destroyed in Darfur)
- The junta has locked up the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize
recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, often called "Asia's Nelson Mandela"
- Aung San Suu Kyi leads a popular movement for democracy, her party won 82%
of seats in parliament before junta annulled results
- Aung San Suu Kyi's admirers include Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu,
Bono, Anjelica Huston, Michael Stipe, Damien Rice, Ani DiFranco, and UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
- Over 1.5 million refugees and internal displaced persons
- Burma's key international ally is China
============================
US Campaign for Burma - www.uscampaignforburma.org/
The United States Campaign for Burma is a U.S.-based organization dedicated
to empowering grassroots activists around the world to bring about an end to
the military dictatorship in Burma. Through public education, leadership
development initiatives, conferences, and advocacy campaigns, USCB works to
empower Americans and Burmese dissidents-in-exile to promote freedom,
democracy, and human rights in Burma and raise awareness about the egregious
human rights violations committed by Burma's military regime. USCB advocates
in the US Congress and United Nations, and works closely with musicians and
celebrities to draw attention to the situation in Burma.
Human Rights Action Center - www.humanrightsactioncenter.org/
The Human Rights Action Center was founded by Jack Healey, the world-renowned
human rights activist and pioneer. Called "Mr. Human Rights" by U.S. News
and World Report, Jack brought human rights to the global stage by his
creative use of media and enlistment of world-class musical talent as
advocates and spokesperson. As Executive Director of Amnesty International
USA for 12 years, he pioneered new ways to reach youth- the next generation-
to deliver the message of human rights. A few events he created include:
Conspiracy of Hope tour with U2, The Police, Peter Gabriel, and many others;
Human Rights Now! tour with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy
Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour.
Both the US Campaign for Burma and Human Rights Action Center applaud Walter Koenig for his involvement in Burma, and ask that you to get involved in this urgent situation as well.
Thanks for reading!
Official Press Release:
Hollywood Actor from Legendary Show "Star Trek" To Visit Burmese Refugees
(Los Angeles and Bangkok, Thailand) A star from the worldwide legendary television show "Star Trek", Walter Koenig, will visit Thailand to meet refugees who have fled from Burma's military regime in an attempt to focus world attention on the regime's ongoing attacks on civilians.
While much less known to the world, the number of villages destroyed in eastern Burma is twice that in Darfur, Sudan.
He will be available for photos opportunities while meeting with refugees at Mae Tao Medical Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand on July 20th at 10:00 am.
After his trip, he will meet with members of the media at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in Bangkok on July 24th at 11:00 am.
The Star Trek franchise is a multi-billion dollar industry, currently owned by CBS, and is shown in over 100 countries around the world.
One of the show's most popular characters, Koenig played Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek series alongside William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, and others. The TV series is said to be one of the biggest popular culture phenomena of modern times.
Koenig is best known for his role playing the likeable, perpetually cheerful Pavel Chekov on Star Trek and the hated, intensely driven Alfred Bester on television hit Babylon 5. Koenig?s film work includes the first seven Star Trek feature films, for which he earned two Saturn Award Best Supporting Actor nominations.
Burma's military regime has burned down or otherwise destroyed over 3,000 villages in eastern Burma over the past 10 years, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees and internally displaced. Hundreds of thousands have fled across the border into neighboring Thailand.
======================
Facts on Burma
- Burma's military junta has recruited more child soldiers than any other
country in the world, up to 70,000
- The junta has destroyed over 3,000 villages in eastern Burma (to put in
context, this is twice as many as destroyed in Darfur)
- The junta has locked up the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize
recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, often called "Asia's Nelson Mandela"
- Aung San Suu Kyi leads a popular movement for democracy, her party won 82%
of seats in parliament before junta annulled results
- Aung San Suu Kyi's admirers include Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu,
Bono, Anjelica Huston, Michael Stipe, Damien Rice, Ani DiFranco, and UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
- Over 1.5 million refugees and internal displaced persons
- Burma's key international ally is China
============================
US Campaign for Burma - www.uscampaignforburma.org/
The United States Campaign for Burma is a U.S.-based organization dedicated
to empowering grassroots activists around the world to bring about an end to
the military dictatorship in Burma. Through public education, leadership
development initiatives, conferences, and advocacy campaigns, USCB works to
empower Americans and Burmese dissidents-in-exile to promote freedom,
democracy, and human rights in Burma and raise awareness about the egregious
human rights violations committed by Burma's military regime. USCB advocates
in the US Congress and United Nations, and works closely with musicians and
celebrities to draw attention to the situation in Burma.
Human Rights Action Center - www.humanrightsactioncenter.org/
The Human Rights Action Center was founded by Jack Healey, the world-renowned
human rights activist and pioneer. Called "Mr. Human Rights" by U.S. News
and World Report, Jack brought human rights to the global stage by his
creative use of media and enlistment of world-class musical talent as
advocates and spokesperson. As Executive Director of Amnesty International
USA for 12 years, he pioneered new ways to reach youth- the next generation-
to deliver the message of human rights. A few events he created include:
Conspiracy of Hope tour with U2, The Police, Peter Gabriel, and many others;
Human Rights Now! tour with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy
Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour.
Both the US Campaign for Burma and Human Rights Action Center applaud Walter Koenig for his involvement in Burma, and ask that you to get involved in this urgent situation as well.
Thanks for reading!