Gabriel, Mohamed Yahya, and I trekked all over Oregon with Camp Darfur and the Olympic Torch! Months of planning, phone calls, emails and almost weekly meetings in Portland culminated last week with 5 days of events in 3 cities! Gabriel and I kicked off the week with Camp Darfur at Lincoln High School, which was attended by well over 1200 students! Survivors from Armenia, the Holocaust and Cambodia spoke and petitions, lots of petitions, were signed. Thursday was a busy day – we facilitated 3 workshops at the Oregon Peacemakers Conference, did one presentation and screened Darfur Now. Mohamed, Gabriel and I sat on a panel afterwards and almost everyone in the packed theatre stayed. I strongly urge you to see this film, its one of the most powerful I have seen about the genocide. Saturday the three of us drove to Eugene and back for their torch lighting ceremony to pressure China. Sunday the team split up – Gabriel headed up and over Mt. Hood to Bend for their torch lighting and Mohamed and I stayed in Portland for our Interfaith Service: Never Again and candlelight/torch vigil. All in all it was a great week! One participant who drove all the way from Moscow, Idaho said:
“… I have heard people speak now in three of the cities and then different speakers from STAND and no one spoke as loudly as you. No one was able to get me as fired up as you did and so I thought that was important to share. I know I am not the only one that stood out there today and felt so inspired and ready to take action!”
It was a busy but highly successful and inspiring week of events in Oregon!