Dear Friend

This is a reminder that the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 27th June 2009 at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast.

All party members and supporters should have received invites to the Conference, and we are asking that you to confirm your attendance, submit motions, and put forward nominations for Youth Executive as soon as possible by contacting Janine Irvine on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie.

Since we have been busy electioneering, we have extended the deadline for Submitting motions and Election Nominations to Monday 15th June 2009 5pm.

Election Nominations - The Youth Executive posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, Universities & Colleges Officer, and International Officer. I would encourage all members to consider running for a position, or suggesting members that you think should run.

Submitting Motions - The motions passed at Youth Conference help us to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year. Motions passed at Youth Conference are put forward to Party Conference and in many cases become SDLP party policy.

Regards,

Peter Armstrong

Chair
SDLP Youth

Dear Member,

I am delighted to announce the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 27th June from 10am to 6pm at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. All party members are invited to the Conference, and we would ask you to confirm your attendance early.

The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

At the conference, the SDLP Youth Executive for 2009/10 will be elected and we are now inviting members of the party aged 30 and under to nominate themselves to run for the positions. The seven posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, and Universities & Colleges Officer.

The election will take place between 10am and 1pm at the conference, with counting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced thereafter. The election will be operated using the PR-STV system. To be entitled to vote, you must be a paid-up 2009 party member, aged 30 and under, on 23rd June 2009.

The deadline for nomination to run for election to the Executive is 5pm on 12th June 2009.

The deadline for submitting motions for conference is 5th June 2009.

If you wish to attend conference, run for election, or submit motions please contact Janine Irvine in SDLP HQ on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie

We would also encourage you to join this event on Facebook.

Regards,

Peter Armstrong
Chair

Katherine McCloskey
Vice-Chair

Haneen Wishah in Coleraine Times

Back in September SDLP Youth encouraged everyone to sign a petition to allow Palestinian student Haneen Wishah to travel from Gaza to Ireland to study at the University of Ulster Coleraine. The petition was successful. In the Coleraine Times this week Haneen urges Israel to stop the war.

“Stop the Israeli aggression on my land and people.
We, as Palestinians are begging to live in peace in a justice world in our homeland Palestine, because it’s our legal right and we won’t give up until we free our land Palestine from the Israeli occupation.”

Belfast Gaza Protest

The protest was hugely successful. Around 2,000 people attended the protest, while thousands more marched and lined the route through the city centre. Similar marches took place in cities and towns throughout Ireland in solidarity with the people in Palestine.

SDLP Youth call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the killing, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and both sides to enter talks to work towards a peaceful solution. Until this happens, the Irish, British and European governments must impose economic sanctions upon Israel.

Pictures of the protest are now online at http://sdlpyouth.com/gallery/v/campaigns/GazaSolidarityProtest/

Mark Durkan Tables Motion at Westminster

SDLP Party Leader, MP for Foyle has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for an end to the death and destruction in Gaza:

Dear Member,

As you may be aware, the inaugural SDLP Youth Annual Conference is taking place on Saturday 5th July from 10am to 4pm at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. All party members are invited to the Conference, and we would ask you to confirm your attendance early.

The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year. There will also be a closed session with the All Ireland Working Group.

At the conference, the SDLP Youth Executive for 2008/09 will be elected and we are now inviting members of the party aged 30 and under to nominate themselves to run for the positions. The seven posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, and Universities & Colleges Officer.

The election will take place between 10am and 1pm at the conference, with counting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced thereafter. The election will be operated using the PR-STV system. To be entitled to vote, you must be a paid-up 2008 party member, aged 30 and under, on 1st July 2008.

The deadline for nomination to run for election to the Executive is 5pm on 27th June 2008. Members can put themselves forward for more than one position.

The deadline for submitting motions for conference is 21st June 2008.

If you wish to attend conference, run for election, or submit motions please contact Gavin Boyd on 028 9024 7700 or email gavin.boyd AT sdlphq DOT ie

Regards,

Gary McKeown_____________________________Peter Armstrong
Chair, SDLP Youth__________________________Vice-Chair, SDLP Youth

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Important Dates
Deadline for submitting motions 21st June 2008
Deadline for election nominations 27th June 2008 5pm
Deadline for paying membership 1st July 2008
Date of conference 5th July 2008

SDLP YOUTH CONFERENCE
5 JULY 10AM – 4PM
WELLINGTON PARK HOTEL BELFAST

SDLP Youth are holding their annual conference on the 5 July 2008 from 10am to 4pm in the Wellington Park hotel in Belfast.

All members under 30 are asked to make an effort to attend. The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

Party members, young people who have expressed an interest in joining the Party, members from parties in the North and South and our European colleagues from ECOSY and IUSY have been invited.

All party members under 30 can submit motions. They must be submitted before 20 June to either 90 247700 (Gavin Boyd) or email gavin.boyd AT sdlphq DOT ie

All Party members under 30 can debate and vote on motions.

All those who have expressed an interest in joining the party can debate but not vote on motions.

All invited guests can nominate one speaker to speak on motions but cannot vote.

There is a closed session with the SDLP All-Ireland working group for all SDLP members under 30 from 4pm to 6pm.

Please confirm your attendance as soon as possible with Gavin Boyd on 90 247700 or email gavin.boyd AT sdlphq DOT ie