Lighting A Torch For Darfur – Genocide Intervention

In less than a year, China will host the Olympic Games, a symbol of peace and unity around the world. Yet they still have not used their influence to bring peace to Darfur. When will China see the light?

Dream for Darfur activists are touring the world with an Olympic torch in an effort to inspire China to help end the violence. The torch was first lit on Aug. 9 in refugee camps near Darfur. It is now being carried to sites of previous genocides and to cities across the United States, before it reaches China’s doorstep in December.

Help carry the torch, and bring hope to Darfur! Find a Dream for Darfur event near you. If you are a student, and want to get involved in the Torch Relays, contact STAND, GI-Net’s student division.

GI-Net Member inspires activism through CNN interview

Scott Sutton grew up with his family in eastern Chad and moved back to the United States for college. In 2003, Scott saw his home village featured in a CNN news report about the refugee crisis in Chad, and knew he had to do something. He learned more about the conflict in neighboring Darfur and began to take action. This included submitting a question for the CNN/YouTube debate in July, asking the presidential candidates how they will stop genocide.

CNN interviewed Scott about his question in the week before the debate. Since that time, he has received a multitude of e-mails from people who learned about Darfur through Scott’s interview and now want to take action. According to Scott, one of these e-mails came from “a nurse who said she had finally found her calling in life … I love the looks on people’s faces as I take them from understanding the crisis to knowing they can make a difference — that sense of mission and purpose in a person is priceless.”