Wagner Students “March Against Darfur

            April 25, 2006, Staten Island, NY – Students from Wagner College’s chapter of Project Pericles and the Muslim Student Association will participate in the “March Against Darfur” rally in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2006.  The rally is sponsored by the Save Darfur Coalition and will include a wide array of political figures, activists and celebrities joining together to rally support to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

“In light of Holocaust Remembrance Day, today, April 25 and each time I teach a course on the Holocaust, I am struck by how important it is to emphasize that genocide is still occurring,” explained Dr. Lori Weintrob, Associate Professor of History at Wagner College. “It is gratifying that as Director of Project Pericles, I can encourage education for socially responsible and participatory citizenship and empower students to raise their voices on this and other critical issues.”

Wagner students are particularly committed to marching in order to show support towards senior Joseph Malual Thuc ’06, a former victim of civil war in Sudan, whose two brothers continue to live in Sudan and Egypt. To raise awareness Joseph and 6 other students, sponsored by Project Pericles, attended a conference on Darfur in Washington D.C. last year at the US Holocaust Museum. Joseph also coordinated a fashion show at Wagner raising over $1,800. Joseph’s goal is to have his two brothers finally join him in America. 

“It is exciting and I am overjoyed that so many students wish to take an active stand on such a devastating subject,” said Jennifer Wright, who is also in Wagner’s first class of Civic Engagement Certificate Students. I look forward to the future possibilities in store for the program and the students involved.”

Ms. Wright ’09, Kat Murphy ’08 and Amira Al-Khatib ’06 and 13 other Wagner students will attend the rally and are extending the invitation to the Staten Island community at large. There are 10-15 open seats on the vans being provided for the trip free of charge.

Amira Al-Khatib, president of Wagner’s Muslim Student Association, feels that it does not matter what religion, race, or creed you belong to.  “The genocide should stop, and we have to do all we can to help the people there,” she said.

            For more information you can visit the “Save Darfur Coalition” website at:
http://www.savedarfur.org/rally. If you are interested in joining the march, or if you are part of another group who is going to Washington D.C. and would like to march together, please contact Lori Weintrob at 718-390-3309 or lrweintr@wagner.edu.
 

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