If you came by the Friel Lounge in Susan B. Anthony dormatory on Thursday, October 28, 2004, and peered into the room, you may have seen over 100 people gathered together. This was not your your traditional study group, club meeting, or party, however. Those present came to learn more about the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan that has been labled genocide by the US Congress, and about what living as a refugee means.
During the evening, several young men from Sudan who are now living in the
Rochester area shared their own experiences as refugees escaping violence
in the southern portion of Sudan, and spoke about the current genocide conditions
in Darfur, a region located in the western portion of Sudan. There was time
for the audience members to ask questions of the panelists, and were also
able to try Sudanese cuisine. The forum was sponsored by the Newman Community,
the Protestant Chapel Community, University of Rochester Christian Fellowship,
Hillel, Sigma Chi, Alpha Phi, and Amnesty International.
Awak Malith '06, a Newman Community member, was one member of the panel. Earlier
in October, Awak and his fellow countrymen spoke at the chapel communities’
services, and helped those present to understand his own experiences, the
historical context of the situation, and the gratitude he feels for the international
community's awareness of the current violence.
To learn more about the current situation in Darfur, please visit www.savedarfur.org
and take a look at the document below.
To show your support for the people of Sudan, please wear a green ribbon and share with others its significance.