Today, representatives from faith communities nationwide met with Reverend Joshua DuBois, Director of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, to discuss the ongoing violence in Sudan.
At the meeting, a letter from over 1,410 Christian, Jewish and Muslim Clergy was delivered to Dubois as a part of the Moved by Faith Initiative. Coalition Board Members, Ruth Messinger and Gloria White-Hammond along with other faith leaders recognized the fact that President Obama has a lot on his plate, but stressed to Rev. DuBois the importance of Sudan with the elections and the referendum both within the next 18 months. The faith leaders further emphasized that Sudan is at a critical crossroads where sustainable peace can be achieved or the country could plunge back into civil war.
While this meeting did not mark a huge movement in terms of Sudan policy, it was a unique channel to raise our voice for peace in Sudan within the administration. Bishop David Jones from the Episcopal Church eloquently called for leadership by stating “When the U.S. pays attention, the government of Sudan responds. We need the U.S. to take an interest.”
Reverend Gloria White-Hammond articulated that “the impact of gender-based violence lasts long after the assault and effects the entire fabric of the society.” Archbishop Vicken Aykazian for the Armenian Church of America conveyed a broader message regarding genocide prevention and history. “If justice is not found in Sudan, there will be more genocide. We would like to find ways to end genocide in the 21st century.”
David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center, who was not able to attend the meeting said, “Activists around the world, including many within the North American Jewish community, have committed to continuously raising awareness of and being a voice for Darfur. But this critical issue is not just a call to the Jewish conscience – rather, it is a call to the conscience of all humanity, as genocide knows no religious or ethnic borders. For this reason, we are pleased that a number of prominent faith leaders across the religious spectrum met today with Joshua DuBois to underscore the importance of an interfaith alliance advocating for peace and security in Darfur and Sudan.”
Check out our photos from today.
Faith Leaders attending the meeting: • Ruth Messinger: President, American Jewish World Service • Galen Carey: Director of Government Affairs, National Association of Evangelicals • Reverend Gloria White-Hammond: AME Pastor; Co-Founder, My Sister’s Keeper • Alissa Karg: Deputy Regional Director for Africa, Lutheran World Relief • Pastor Cindy Lapp: Representative, Mennonite Central Committee; Pastor Hyattsville • Dr. Stephen Colecchi: Director, Office of International Justice and Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops • Bishop David Jones: Bishop, Virginia, Episcopal Church • Imam Mohamed Magid: Vice President, Islamic Society of North America; Director, ADAM’S Center • Archbishop Vicken Aykazian: Archbishop, Armenian Church of America.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Joshua Dubois, Moved by Faith, White House
