Invitation to the National Whistleblower Assembly!

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Dear Op-Ed News readers, writers, and all concerned citizens. This invitation is for each and everyone of you. We need everyone that is part of this community to attend, to support, and to rally for good government, open government, accountability and free speech in America. This is the third annual event of this kind. It will be our biggest, with the most ambitious agenda.  

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We challenge the entire OPN community: be there!

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We are pleased to invite you to attend this year’s National Whistleblower Assembly, organized by the Make it Safe Coalition. Individual co-sponsors include the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the International Association of Whistleblowers (IAW), the National Whistleblowers Center (NWC), and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL). The National Whistleblower Assembly will be held in Washington, DC, from Sunday March 8th to Wednesday March 11th, 2009. 

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This year’s Assembly, whose working title is “Ending the Dark Ages: Turning on the Lights Together”, has four cornerstone objectives: 1) matchmaking for solidarity and ongoing working relationships between whistleblowers and those who should benefit from their dissent, such as NGO’s, investigative journalists and government investigators; 2) lobbying Congress to upgrade its rhetorical commitments for stronger whistleblower protection into reality, from completion of legislation pending nine years to overhaul the Whistleblower Protection Act, to comprehensive corporate rights expanding on five precedents in the last Congress; 3) street law so that whistleblowers learn how to use and act on their rights under new whistleblower laws; and 4) a living history forum where whistleblowers can make a record of why they risked their careers to defend the public, and what happened. 

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The National Whistleblower Assembly will kick-off with a plenary session comprised of whistleblowers and government leaders. The Assembly will strategize on how to assist and help hold our leaders to President Obama’s commitment made his first day in office: “Starting today, every agency and department should know that this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known.” 

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We encourage all 263 organizations and corporations that signed the Whistleblower Protection Act sign-on letter to join us! We are already bonded by a shared principle that “whistleblower protection is a foundation for any change in which the public can believe. It does not matter whether the issue is economic recovery, prescription drug safety, environmental protection, infrastructure spending, national health insurance, or foreign policy.”[1] Theme-based workshops will facilitate a constructive dialogue to break the pattern of isolation between NGOs and whistleblowers, covering a diverse range of topics, which can be found at www.makeitsafecampaign.org.

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The Union of Concerned Scientists, the Government Accountability Project, and the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest will provide a comprehensive lobby training prior to our direct legislative advocacy. Please note that participants will lobby in small groups, through scheduled appointments with the home state office when possible, to advocate for “best practices” whistleblower rights. .The National Whistleblower Assembly is opened to the public and free of charge; however, we welcome and encourage your financial support. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation through the Government Accountability Project. Please write “2009 NWA” in the designation/memo fields to ensure your contribution supports the National Whistleblower Assembly.

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