Jerry Fowler, Dr. Mohammed Abdallah, Bec Hamilton, Michelle Gavin

This weekend the Save Darfur Coalition joined the Pledge2Protect conference here in Washington, DC.  Hosted by STAND: The Sudent Anti-Genocide Coalition, the Save Darfur Coalition and the Enough Project, the conference sought to create an experience for participants that will empower them to become stronger leaders on their campuses and in their communities while demonstrating the strength of the movement to end genocide to policymakers on Capitol Hill.

The coalition hosted the Sudan Plenary, which featured NSC Senior Director for African Affairs Michelle Gavin, author Bec Hamilton, physician and professor at al-Fasher University and former Director at Amel Center for torture victims in Darfur Dr. Mohammed Abdallah, Representative Mike Capuano (MA-08) and Save Darfur Coalition President Jerry Fowler.

During the plenary, Representative McGovern told the conference attendees,  “Everyone in this hall is essential to peace… To ending genocide. You are the engine, the energy” and instructed them: “you need to make sure your representative knows this matters to you!”

Michelle Gavin said she was “energized by this gathering” and told the audience:  “you have one of the most important roles in this important time period we’re in now” for Sudan.  Gavin also noted that “history shows us when activists come together on key issues we become closer to the America we want to be” and asked that activists “help [the government] keep focused on the fact that what needs to change is the situation on the ground in Sudan.”

In addition, the coalition hosted the following panels:

Building Effective Sticks & Carrots for Sudan
Free & Fair? Or Fraud & Failure? The Election & Referendum in Sudan
Protecting Civilians in Sudan
Imagination as an Advocacy Tool: Bringing the Arts into the Picture
Sudanese Voices on Lasting Peace & Stability in Sudan: Challenges & the Way Forward
Peacemaking in Sudan
Wars against Women & the Pursuit of Peace: the Case of Darfur
The International Advocacy Movement on Sudan: A Conversation with Global Advocacy Leaders
Sudanese Voices on Lasting Peace & Stability in Sudan: Challenges & the Way Forward

And coalition staff helped equip activists with the tools they need on the following panels:

Congress 201: Building Political Will
Moved by Faith: Activism, Advocacy, & Genocide Prevention
Media 101: Marketing Your Cause
Fundraising 101: Effective Fundraising from $5 to $50,000
From the Experts: Running a Community Coalition

You can see more of the conference by checking out the twitter stream and our photos.

Join us in Washington, D.C. November 6-9th for Pledge2Protect, the first-ever movement-wide activist conference! Click here to learn more and register.

That weekend over one-thousand students and adults from across the country will come together to build relationships, learn about conflict areas worldwide, and develop advocacy skills. After two days of training, we’ll take our position to Capitol Hill and lobby our elected officials.

Pledge2Protect is presented in partnership by the Genocide Intervention Network, the Save Darfur Coalition, and the Enough Project. Register now so you don’t miss out on:

• Workshops and discussions on genocide prevention, activism, Sudan, Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Workshops and discussions on genocide prevention, activism, Sudan, Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Training sessions on grassroots organizing, media outreach, social media techniques, advocacy, and other skills
• Panel discussions featuring experts and policy makers
• Networking events where participants can share best practices and exchange ideas
• And more!

Register Now