Students Nationwide Gather at Georgetown to Announce Second Phase of Campaign Against Sudan Genocide

Students Nationwide Gather at Georgetown to Announce Second Phase of Campaign Against Sudan Genocide

STAND & mtvU Launch 'Sponsor-A-Camp' Initiative, October 6th Darfur Fast & More

Lauren Bush to Debut Photo Journal from Chad Refugee Camps on mtvU.com

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 300 youth activists, from over 150 colleges and high schools, will convene at Georgetown University August 11-14, 2005 to launch the newest phase of their campaign against genocide in the Sudan. Building off last year's successes, the event marks an intensified effort by STAND, Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, partnering with mtvU to fight the crisis in Sudan and aid those victimized by the tragedy. The two organizations will work closely together on a campaign of on-air, online, and on campus events and programs to provide students with an assortment of tools and resources to help end the crisis in Darfur.

"By launching the 'sponsor-a-camp' initiative, we hope to humanize the crisis in Darfur for the public, and establish a personal connection between our community and the displaced people in the Sudan," said Sasha Kinney, a coordinator of Georgetown STAND. "Ultimately, we hope that the initiative will foster greater activism from the American people, not only to provide schools but to bring an end to the violence before thousands more die."

"These college students are taking the lead in standing up for human rights," said Stephen Friedman, GM of mtvU. "We're proud to give them the megaphone, via mtvU and mtvU.com, to help make their voices heard."

The campaign will include:

* The "Sponsor-A-Camp" initiative, which will organize student support
for refugee camps in Darfur and Chad. To formally launch the
initiative, former United States Marine Brian Steidle will join
representatives from the World Food Programme and STAND on Thursday,
August 11 at 7:00 p.m. Conference participants will construct a model
refugee camp, where the launch will occur. Student volunteers will
spend the night in the camp during the conference to express solidarity
with the refugees of Darfur. Additionally, mtvU will screen its
documentary "Translating Genocide."

* The Darfur Fast on October 6th. A number of organizations will join
STAND and mtvU, alongside millions of individuals worldwide to fast for
Darfur. Leading up to and throughout the day, mtvU will feature on-air
messages from students who are fasting, explaining their commitment and
encouraging others to participate. Those interested are encouraged to
pledge their commitment to the fast by signing up at
http://www.darfurfast.org/ or http://www.mtvu.com/. Notable participants
include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nicholas Kristof and Ruth Messinger,
among many others.

* A national speaking tour, "Witness to Genocide," this fall, sponsored
by mtvU, the International Crisis Group, and the Save Darfur Coalition
in partnership with STAND and Hillel. The tour will educate communities
about the crisis and encourage grassroots activism. John Prendergast,
an Africa expert with Crisis Group, along with refugees from the
crisis, will speak at churches, synagogues, and campuses across the
country. In addition, the mtvU documentary "Translating Genocide" will
be shown.

* The Divestment Project, which will educate students about what it means
to divest, and give them the tools to organize a campaign on their
campus, focusing on university or state-controlled investment. For more
information, youth activists are encouraged to visit
http://www.mtvu.com/ and http://www.standnow.org/.

* A photo journal from Lauren Bush, UN World Food Programme spokesperson
and college student, who will document her experiences in Chad refugee
camps on mtvU.com.

* STAND Video Updates. Students from STAND chapters across the country
will produce video updates for mtvU.com on what is happening in Sudan
now and what college students are doing about it around the country.

Additionally, throughout the semester, mtvU will continue to feature programming on the crisis and information on how college students can get involved. This fall, mtvU will debut a series of public service announcements featuring footage from refugee camps in Chad. mtvU will also showcase student activists who have taken up the cause and are inspired to impact the lives of the people of Darfur on-air and on mtvU.com.

For additional information visit http://www.standnow.org/ and http://www.mtvu.com/.

About STAND

Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, or STAND, is a student group founded in September of 2004 at Georgetown University. There are now chapters at over 200 colleges and high schools. In May 2005, Georgetown STAND received a $40,000 grant from mtvU and the Reebok Human Rights Foundation to support their efforts to begin the sponsor-a-camp program to help provide education to the more than 2 million refugees from Darfur. Georgetown STAND co-founder and rising senior Nate Wright was also honored with one of Reebok's first Human Rights Young Activist Awards. For more visit http://www.standnow.org/.

About mtvU

Broadcasting to over 720 colleges across the country, with a combined enrollment of over 6.5 million, mtvU is the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. 24hrs a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S. For more information about mtvU, and for a complete programming schedule, visit http://www.mtvu.com/.

mtvU is part of the Viacom International Inc. family which also owns the MTV Networks programming services MTV, MTV2, VH1, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land, Spike TV, CMT and others.

Source: mtvU

CONTACT: Grace Chang of Georgetown STAND, +1-202-276-4518,
standgrace@gmail.com, or David French of mtvU, +1-212-846-6698,
david.french@mtvstaff.com

Web site: http://www.mtvu.com/
http://www.darfurfast.org/
http://www.standnow.org/

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