Today is the last day of April.  There's still time to do your Genocide Prevention Ritual!

Thanks to all those who took part in this interfaith event.  It was such a joy to see the creativity that everyone applied to it.  Special thanks to Kirk Thomas for being instrumental in getting the ritual done at a large festival gathering, to Brendan Myers and Gus diZerega for support, and Tarotbyhic and Jason for particularly moving reports of their rituals.

Everyone, please don't forget to let us know how your ritual went and what kind of awareness and/or funds you managed to raise!

April ends, but of course the atrocities do not.  Please remember what is going on in the world throughout the year and be pro-active in preventing genocide!

Thank you.

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Today marks the anniversary of the genocide in Armenia.  The following is from Genocide Prevention Month:

Dear Friend,

Today, survivors of the Armenian genocide, their descendants, and their supporters commemorate the 94th anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide.  On April 24, 1915, hundreds Armenian intellectuals were arrested in Constantinople by Ottoman authorities, marking the start of the killing of 1.5 million Armenians.

In honoring those who were lost and those who suffered, people around the world have come together to remind the world of the atrocities committed against the Armenian people and to call on the international community to make its promise of "never again" a reality.
Take action during Genocide Prevention Month.

At the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in Yerevan, Armenia, hundreds thousands of Armenians marched in silence to the memorial to pay their respects.   Around the rest of the world, the Armenian Diaspora marks this tragic day with community events. 

This month, survivors from Cambodia, Darfur, Bosnia, Rwanda, the Holocaust, and Armenia have come together to observe Genocide Prevention Month and to call for immediate action to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  Join this movement by attending a Genocide Prevention Month event near you.

Best,

Jill Savitt

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Today commemorates the Holocaust in Nazi Europe.  The following is from Genocide Prevention Month:

Dear Friend,

Today is Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Yom Hashoah honors the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust.  In honoring those who were lost and those who suffered, people around the world are coming together to remind the world of the atrocities committed and to call on the international community to make its promise of "never again" a reality.

Yesterday, a ceremony was held at Yad Vashem.  You can watch it here.  On Thursday, April 23 at 11:00 am EDT, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum will hold its remembrance ceremony, featuring President Obama and Elie Wiesel.  It will be webcast live from the US Capitol Rotunda.  You can also search for a Genocide Prevention Month event near you.


As you know, survivors from Cambodia, Darfur, Bosnia, Rwanda, the Holocaust, and Armenia have come together to observe Genocide Prevention Month and to call for immediate action to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  We hope you will stand in solidarity with survivors by taking part. 


Thank you for your ongoing support. 


Best,


Jill Savitt

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The following is from Save Darfur:

PetroChina is one of the largest oil industry partners of the government of Sudan--a government now headed by a wanted war criminal.

So you might be shocked to learn that in the past 3 months, The Vanguard Group—the world's largest family of mutual funds--has increased its holdings in PetroChina!

This week, Vanguard shareholders begin voting on a proposal to adopt a genocide-free investing policy—a proposal Vanguard opposes. Will you help us make sure it passes?

Yes, I'm a Vanguard shareholder, and I don't want to invest in companies that fund genocide.

I'm not a Vanguard shareholder, but I support genocide-free investing.

Investments from companies like PetroChina allow the government of Sudan to fund its campaign of death and destruction—and resist international pressure to restore humanitarian aid to Darfur. Genocide-free investing is a crucial effort to cut off funding for the genocide in Darfur.

TIAA-CREF, the giant US pension fund, has joined states and colleges in adopting Sudan divestment policies. Now, if Vanguard divests, it could set a new standard for the world's mutual funds.

Vanguard mutual fund shareholders are receiving proxy ballots in the mail this week. If you are a shareholder, please vote FOR Question 3, which would force Vanguard to transparently adopt a genocide-free investment policy. Vanguard claims to have a policy in place—but admits that it has yet to divest from a single holding due to concerns about human rights abuses.

And if you're not a Vanguard investor, make it clear that The Vanguard Group must stop doing business with PetroChina and Sudan—or you won't consider doing business with Vanguard.

I'm a Vanguard investor, and I'm voting for genocide-free investing.

I'm not a Vanguard investor, but I support genocide-free investing.

The voices of citizens and investors like you have compelled 27 states, over 60 universities, and big corporations like TIAA-CREF to take action against PetroChina. Together, we can add Vanguard to that list.

Sincerely,

Suzie Armstrong,
Save Darfur Coalition

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Today commemorates the genocide in Cambodia.  The following is from Genocide Prevention Month:

Dear Friend,

Today, survivors of the Cambodian genocide and their supporters commemorate the day that Khmer Rouge forces entered Phnom Penh 34 years ago.  In honoring the approximately 1.7 million people who lost their lives, Cambodian survivors come together to remind the world of the atrocities committed and to call on the international community to make its promise of "never again" a reality.

Act Now - stand in solidarity with survivors and observe Genocide Prevention Month.

Cambodian survivors, monks, and other advocates will come together in Lafayette Park in front of the White House on Friday evening, holding posters with pictures of those they lost by the hands of the Khmer Rouge.  At dusk, the group will light candles and stand in a silent vigil before hearing remarks from some of the survivors present.

Find an event during Genocide Prevention Month near you.

Survivors from Cambodia, Darfur, Bosnia, Rwanda, the Holocaust, and Armenia have come together to observe Genocide Prevention Month and to call for immediate action to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  Join this movement by taking part in an Act Now for Darfur Event.

Best,

Jill Savitt


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This too is from Genocide Prevention Month.  There are some excellent ideas to incorporate into rituals.

Dear Friend,

Today, survivors of the Rwandan genocide and their supporters commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 100-day massacre that killed nearly one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994.

Events to remember the lives lost and honor those who survived are taking place in Rwanda, at the United Nations, and around the globe.  From film screenings to conferences to vigils, these events bring together survivors and their advocates to remind the world of its failure to intervene to stop the slaughter of one million Rwandans.  Read more about the event that started a national week of mourning in Rwanda.

Find an event during Genocide Prevention Month near you.

If there is not a commemoration event in your area, you can honor those lost during the Rwandan genocide by:

Lighting a Candle of Hope for Rwanda: Ten thousand candles will be lit in the shape of the memorial flame in Rwanda.  The films of public figures lighting a candle will be projected on a large screen while 500 young survivors light the candles. Participate by lighting your own candle. 
Reading of the Testimonies:  Host a Reading of the Testimonies event in a public space to help raise awareness about the consequences of genocide and the ongoing challenges survivors face on a daily basis. 
Supporting One Dollar Campaign Project:  A fundraising initiative of the Rwandan Diaspora, in which people are encouraged to support survivors, will continue throughout the 100 days and beyond.
Thank you for taking part in Genocide Prevention Month.

Best,

Jill Savitt


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The following is from from Genocide Prevention Month.  The symbolic act done in Sarajevo is poignant.


Dear Friend,

Today [April 6th] marks the 17th anniversary since the start of the Siege of Sarajevo and the beginning of the war and genocide in Bosnia & Herzegovina.   In Sarajevo, our partner organizations organized a commemoration ceremony today that began at a site where 26 people were killed and 108 wounded as they stood in line queuing for bread in 1992.

Then, youth from throughout the former Yugoslavia came together at the site of a "Sarajevo Rose" - a crater left in the ground from shells - and repainted the holes red in a symbolic commemoration of the lives lost.

Act Now - stand in solidarity with survivors and observe Genocide Prevention Month.

Participants then marched through the centre of Sarajevo, accompanied by representatives of the survivors of the genocide - the Mothers of Srebrenica, surviving camp detainees, women victims of rape and relatives of victims and refugees from all across Bosnia & Herzegovina. 

"Today, we send a strong message to all the governments of the former Yugoslavia that those responsible for genocide, such as Ratko Mladic, must be held accountable and sent to the ICTY for prosecution and punishment," said Fadila Memisevic, Director of the Society for Threatened Peoples - Bosnia & Herzegovina, who organized the event.  "In addition, we stand in solidarity with all other survivors of genocide around the world to demand that those responsible for the horrendous crimes committed in Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur are held accountable." Read more about the event.

The event, which is part of Genocide Prevention Month, marked the first of six genocides that will be commemorated this month.  Tomorrow [April 7th] survivors and advocates around the world will observe the 15th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide.

Best,
Jill Savitt


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We got air time on the spring podcast of Tribeways.  Check it out!

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As part of Genocide Prevention Month, Righteous Pictures has made available online a sneak preview of their new documentary film, The Last Survivor.  You can view it here.

The film includes a quote I found particularly poignant:

The opposite of love is not hate.
It's indifference.

The opposite of art is not ugliness.
It's indifference.

The opposite of faith is not heresy.
It's indifference.

The opposite of life is not death.
It's indifference.

--Elie Wiesel

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    An interfaith event

    "[I]t is refreshing to see what Pagans are doing in this context. ... Good stuff, and so, it looks to me, is the organization behind it."  --Gus diZerega, author of Pagans and Christians


    The Genocide Prevention Ritual 2009 is an interfaith event organized by B. T. Newberg of Polytheist Charity in recognition of Genocide Prevention Month.  Rituals occurring simultaneously across the globe in the month of April are creating a wave of change.  By joining together to focus our intentions, we are generating the power necessary to act.  We remember past tragedies, recognize current atrocities, and pledge to do all we can to prevent genocide.

    Please join us in this important event.

    image: Witnesses, by MLarson, showing mugshots from the Toul Sleng Torture Center, Cambodia

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