Actress Emmanuelle Chriqui Joins Activist John Prendergast to Take a STAND Against Conflict in the Congo

Actress Emmanuelle Chriqui Joins Activist John Prendergast to Take a STAND Against Conflict in the Congo

Prendergast Returns to USD for Two-Week Residency with School of Peace Studies

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- They come with a message that "Enough is enough." Members of the University of San Diego's STAND student chapter will join activist and bestselling author John Prendergast and special guests, including actress Emmanuelle Chriqui (Cadillac Records, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Entourage), to highlight the atrocities occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071002/DCTU024LOGO)

"RAISE Hope for Congo," is the Enough Project's national campaign to raise awareness about the crisis resulting in widespread sexual violence against women and girls, and the solutions necessary to end the conflict (http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/). The event will be held at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 13, at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre on the University of San Diego campus. Special guests include:

-- Lisa Shannon, creator of Run for Congo Women
-- Jimmie Briggs, author of "Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to
War," and a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations
-- Candice Knezevic, The Enough Project's Congo campaign manager

The event is part of a two-week residency by Prendergast at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies from Nov. 10-21. Prendergast, a busy activist who trots around the globe to fight human rights violations, was the school's first Peace Scholar and is back by popular demand.

Prendergast is co-chair of the Enough Project, a Washington, D.C.-based organization focused on ending genocide and crimes against humanity. He will conduct a number of seminars and discussions to show students how to take an active role in ending global conflict.

This residency marks Prendergast's fourth visit to USD. He was a Distinguished Lecture Series speaker at the peace institute and past commencement speaker. He said it was his impression of the programs in place and enthusiasm of the students that led him to accept the residency.

Prendergast served during the Clinton Administration as director of African Affairs at the National Security Council. He also has worked for the U.S. State Department, members of Congress, the United Nations, International Crisis Group and the U.S. Institute for Peace. He is the author of eight books on Africa, including his latest "Not On Our Watch," a New York Times bestseller, authored with actor Don Cheadle. He also spearheaded a project with the NBA to widen awareness on Darfur.

You can catch Prendergast interacting with students during the following seminars:

-- Nov. 11, 12:15-2:15 p.m., IPJ 218 - Peacemaking: How Conflicts are
Resolved in Africa
-- Nov. 12, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., IPJ Conference Rm. A - Peacekeeping; How
the Big Peacekeeping Missions in Africa are Failing to Protect People
-- Nov. 17, 6 - 8 p.m., IPJ Conference Rm. A - Peace with Justice: How
the International Criminal Court Helps or Hurts the Cause of Peace in
Africa
-- Nov. 19, 5 - 7 p.m., IPJ Conference Rm. D - Building a Peace Movement:
How Students Can Help Stop Genocide and Build in Africa

About the University of San Diego

The University of San Diego is a Catholic institution of higher learning chartered in 1949; the school enrolls approximately 7,500 undergraduate and graduate students and is known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community service. The inauguration of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies brings the university's total number of schools and colleges to six. Other academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences and the schools of Business Administration, Law, Leadership and Education Sciences, and Nursing and Health Science.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071002/DCTU024LOGO
Source: University of San Diego

CONTACT: Denise Ward of the University of San Diego, +1-619-260-4659,
ext. 6994, wardd@sandiego.edu; or Joann Donnellan of the Enough Project,
+1-703-966-1990, joann@jdmediapr.com

Web Site: http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/

-------
Profile: intent