Dear Members,

Summer is coming to an end, and here is our fall edition of “QUE PASA.” News from our active member teams, an update on back-to-school events, upcoming informal get-togethers—it’s all here!
As always, feel free to contact us for more information, if you have ideas for activities or fundraising, or if you’d like to receive a print copy of QUE PASA. Our contact information is:

12 rue du Diorama
1204 Geneva
Tel. 022 321 82 86
info@casa-alianza.ch

On behalf of the entire Casa Alianza team, enjoy the issue!

José Manuel Capellin (known as Menin) visiting Geneva...

Menin, our national director of Casa Alianza Honduras and representative of all Casa Alianza programs in Central America, arrived in Geneva on the evening of Monday, October 2, and we welcomed him as he deserved at the Geneva airport. He had come to participate in the session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, during which NGOs were given the floor, on Wednesday, October 4.
It was a short but intense week. We visited a few key donors and partners and presented a new project on the topic of migrant children and boys who are victims of sexual exploitation in Zurich to representatives of the UBS Optimus Foundation.
On Wednesday, October 4, we hosted a reception at the Parc des Bastions restaurant, during which Menin gave a presentation on issues of violence in Honduras. Several members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child were in attendance, as well as representatives from the permanent missions of Honduras and Nicaragua in Geneva. More than 60 people attended the presentation, which was followed by a very pleasant informal cocktail reception.
Menin finally flew back on Friday afternoon, delighted by the warm welcome he received from Casa Alianza Switzerland and by his week of work in Geneva.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child – Session of October 4, 2006

The Committee on the Rights of the Child is a body composed of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by States Parties. It also monitors the implementation of the two Optional Protocols to the Convention—one concerning the involvement of children in armed conflict , and the other concerning the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography.  
Honduras was heard during the pre-session of the Committee’s 44th official meeting. This private session between the Committee and civil society provided the NGOs in attendance and UNICEF with the opportunity to share their own perspectives on the implementation of the Convention at the national level.
Menin was part of the NGO delegation, along with a representative from the Honduran NGO network COIPRODEN (a network of 24 children’s rights organizations founded in 1989), who met with Committee members. During the discussions, he emphasized issues related to street children, particularly those involving violence, abuse, and poverty.
Following this meeting, the Committee is preparing a list of questions for the government. The government must respond in writing before appearing before the Committee in January 2007. After this January meeting, the Committee will issue a list of recommendations known as concluding observations. The government is then expected to follow these guidelines to improve the situation of children and youth in the country.

Jazz sur la Plage: A Recap.

On August 19, the “Jazz sur la Plage” festival took place in Hermance. Each year, proceeds are donated to a charity, and the 2006 edition was dedicated to Casa Alianza!
Casa Alianza and its sausage and salad stand were a huge success, and the entire team at the Association would like to express its immense satisfaction at having participated in this 14th edition of the festival. We raised approximately 1,300 CHF in profits thanks to the motivation and energy of the volunteers who kindly helped us. Barbecuing is an art—let’s be clear about that!!!
A big thank you especially to Cate Buchanan, Paul Kowal, Patrick Ingenito, Serge Eicher, Angelo Aprete, and the festival organizers (Pierre-Edmond Gilliand) who made this evening such an enjoyable experience.

First Edition of the Casa Alianza Golf Cup!

This project, conceived by Gerry Crompton and Albert Gowen, took place on October 27 at the Bonmont Golf Club in Chéserex. Twenty-four participants joined in and took part in the tournament under sunshine worthy of July! Each penalty stroke resulted in a 5 CHF donation, generously contributed by the players to the Association.
Thanks to the participants’ generosity—which far exceeded the mere number of penalty strokes incurred on the course—the evening raised 3,700 CHF for the Association!!
Laurence Roth, the president, presented Casa Alianza’s work in Switzerland and in the field before screening the Association’s documentary about Abel, a street child from Honduras.
The evening concluded with a cocktail reception hosted by a generous sponsor, and we are all eagerly looking forward to the second edition of the Casa Alianza Cup in 2007!

The Next Casa Alianza Happy Hour

Christmas is fast approaching, and before we all head off on vacation with family or friends, we thought we’d gather our members for the last get-together of 2006—our Christmas party.
Please join us at our office on Wednesday, December 13, starting at 6 p.m.

Event: Launch Party for the Second Casa Alianza Compilation, November 23 at Le Chat Noir!

A compilation that’s bursting with… ideas!
It’s finally here! The highly anticipated Casa Alianza Vol. 2 compilation is out! Born from Casa Alianza Switzerland’s commitment to helping street children in Central America, and the talent of the Swiss artists involved, the project is back!
The launch of the Vol. 2 compilation will take place at Le Chat Noir (www.chatnoir.ch ) on November 23 , 2006, starting at 9 p.m .
The talented bands Tiger The Lion and Hemlock Smith will perform a concert for the occasion.
Casa Alianza supports artists who use their music to champion a cause—that of street children in Central America—and we cannot do this without you, the audience, who help us financially by purchasing the album! This initiative is both original and promising, so spread the word, share our enthusiasm, and come out in large numbers on November 23!

Would you like to get more involved?

We always need our members’ time and ideas to support street children. If you’d like to become an active member, you can:

• Join a team at Casa Alianza Switzerland. Please email info@casa-alianza.ch or visit the website (www.casa-alianza.ch).
• Help with stuffing envelopes? For our mailings, we’re looking for a few people who are available to help with stuffing envelopes. Please sign up at info@casa-alianza.ch
• If you have ideas for activities, please contact us by emailing info@casa-alianza.ch.

Thank you for your support!

Contributors to Qué Pasa No. 4: Marjorie Granjon, Eliane Hauri, Maud Lambert, and Lisa Myers.