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Oct. 1, 2007
'Does Dallas Care?' conference to examine Darfur crisis
Dallas area restaurants to hold Oct. 11 fund-raiser
SMU's Human Rights Education Program and Perkins School of Theology hope to bring home to Dallas a sense of urgency about the genocide occurring in Darfur through a two-day conference titled “Does Dallas Care?” and a restaurant fund-raiser, “Dining For Darfur.”
The conference scheduled for Oct. 9 and 10 will feature a panel of Dallas-area religious leaders and presentations by two experts on the conflict: John Prendergast, co-author with actor Don Cheadle of “Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond,” and Dr. Samuel Totten, University of Arkansas historian and author of “Genocide in Darfur: Investigating Atrocities in the Sudan.”
Rick Halperin, director of the Human Rights Education Program and a history professor at SMU, characterizes the violence in Darfur as “a catastrophe of immense proportion which should shock the conscience of the world into action. It is both inexplicable and unacceptable that more is not being done to alleviate the suffering of innocent people there.”
Local, participating restaurants will help raise funds for the victims of the violence in Sudan on Oct. 11 by donating 5 percent of the evening’s gross sales to the International Rescue Committee. The “Dining for Darfur” event is based on a successful 2006 event launched by New York food writer Andrea Strong that raised more than $50,000 in her home city.
The Human Rights Education Program and participating restaurants hope diners will help reach a $100,000 goal.
The United Nations estimates that more than 200,000 people have died and at least 2 million have been displaced from their homes in Darfur since fighting broke out in 2003 between Government of Sudan forces, allied militia and rebel groups. The murder of civilians and the rape of women and girls have been widespread, drawing international condemnation. The United Nations is preparing to enter into peace talks with the government of Sudan later this month.
“Does Dallas Care?” is free and open to the public. For more information please contact Halperin, or visit www.smu.edu/humanrights.
Tuesday October 9
Ballroom, Hughes-Trigg Student Center, Southern Methodist University:
- 5:30-5:45 p.m.—Global Genocides since WWII
Professor Rick Halperin, Human Rights Education Program
- 5:45-7:00 p.m.—Religious Response to the Crisis in Darfur
- Rabbi David Stern, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas
- Mr. Anwar Khan, Islamic Relief
- Rev. Dr. Celestin Musekura, African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries, Inc. (ALARM)
- Moderator: Professor Robert Hunt, Perkins School of Theology
- 7:00-7:30 p.m. – Reception (including food for breaking the Ramadan fast)
- 7:30-8:00 p.m. – Genocide in Darfur and the Sudan
Professor Samuel Totten, University of Arkansas
- 8:30-9:00 p.m. – Book signing with Samuel Totten
Genocide in Darfur: Investigating Atrocities in the SudanWednesday October 10
Wesley Hall, Highland Park United Methodist Church:
- 7:00-8:15 p.m. – Not on Our Watch
John Prendergast, ENOUGH and International Crisis Group
- 8:15-9:00 p.m. – Book signing with John Prendergast
Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and BeyondThursday October 11
Dining for Darfur – For a complete list of participating restaurants visit www.smu.edu/humanrights.
- 9:30 p.m.- midnight – Dining for Darfur After Party and Silent Auction
The Cape — 2704 Worthington Street, Dallas
20% of gross sales from the party will be donated to the International Rescue Committee
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