The Witness Video Advocacy Institute (VAI) has been held at Concordia University for two weeks summer for two years (2007, 2008).

The VAI provides scholarships and training in video advocacy for human rights activists around the world. We have involved over eighteen Concordia students as mentors in the program, trained fifty-seven human rights activists, and strengthened relations with a range of media and community organizations in Montreal.

One community group we have collaborated with is Benny Farm, an affordable and sustainable housing project located just a few blocks from Concordia. Over the last two years, VAI participants have developed production skills by creating portraits of long time Benny Farm activists and residents. To date we have created 20 inspiring portraits of this unique housing project and provided copies of the finished projects to everyone involved. This collaboration has been meaningful on many levels. We have created a powerful video archive for Benny Farm, introduced our students to this meaningful community housing project, connected international activist to local activists, and in effect reinforced an important university /community connection in the Notre Dame de Grace neighborhood.

See the photo gallery.