More than 150 students gathered at Friday’s Amnesty International-sponsored “Jamnesty: A Jam for Justice,” which used music as a medium to promote human rights. The event, in Metcalf Hall, showcased local bands as a backdrop while attendees participated in letter writing campaigns against violence in Nigeria and at Guantanamo Bay.
Students signed letters to the Nigerian governor and President George W. Bush at tables set up throughout the night.
President of Boston University’s chapter of Amnesty, Agnes Gyorfi, emphasized the importance of students participation in letter-writing campaigns as a voice away from politics.
“It is in every person’s ability to make a change,” the College of Arts and Sciences senior said.
Performances included local bands Eyes Like Knives, Radio Knights, Brian Bergeron and Fly Upright Kite. Students from BU Ballroom Dance also performed a Cuban Cha-Cha while world traveling “afro-diasporic” funk band Soulfège closed the event.
Fly Upright Kite lead singer Asad Rahman said he was happy to play for a good cause.
“I’m glad to see these issues brought to everyone’s attention,” he said.
All proceeds of the event went to the Amnesty International Northeast Regional Office based in Somerville.
Many students said they attended the event to support Amnesty’s efforts.
“I came because I was really interested in Amnesty’s cause,” CAS junior Adam Tully said.
The event also featured a special presentation by CAS sociology professor Nazli Kibria, who spoke personally of the importance of Amnesty International in her fight for human rights.
Kibria showed a video clip from Bangladesh of a banner-signing event to protest the assassination of her father, a member of the Bangladesh Parliament. The banner-signing event collected 50,000 signatures. The assassination killed four others exactly one year ago on Jan. 27, the same date Jamnesty was held at BU.
In order to raise awareness of the situation in Bangladesh, Kibria and her nephew Imtiaz Kibria encouraged students to join them in a letter writing campaign addressed to each of the attendee’s state senator.
“I want people to know what’s going on in Bangladesh as the mindset of the situation gets more scary,” Imtiaz Kibria said.
Some students said while they initially attended the event to experience the Boston band scene, Kibria’s presentation was the highlight of the night.
“Dr. Kibria’s story really brings the situation home, especially because she’s a professor here,” CAS sophomore Lauren Gonzalez said. “She made a big impact on me.”
BU Amnesty’s public relations chair Rebecca Martin said Kibria’s presentation set apart this year’s event from previous years.
“To have somebody speak who is involved in Amnesty International … it was really important to us,” the College of Communication junior said.
Martin said she was pleased with the turnout and said she hopes students will realize there is a significant population outside of their community.
“Three-fifths of the world lives in the third world, and we have to understand that we’re the minority,” she said. “It’s important to try and expand our perspectives on economic and political issues as well as human rights.”