This opportunity encompasses the chance to begin to comprehend the tragedy of the Rwandan genocide and to be inspired towards advocating towards peace, especially within post-conflict regions.

If you are passionate about genocide prevention, we highly encourage you look into this opportunity, to gain a practical education on the development of post conflict regions and understanding the stages leading towards a genocide. The program includes learning about Rwandan genocide in 1994; visiting memorials, meeting the survivors, volunteering with their social programs and engaging in activities to confront the legacy of the genocide and understand what we can do to help prevent it occurring again. The program also includes trips to the different sites and memorials in rural Rwanda, as well as a safari and a brief holiday on the shores of Rwanda’s 5th largest lake, the Lake Kivu. Much time is spent with local NGO’s in and around Rwanda, and participants will have the chance to network and learn from those they wish to emulate.

 The program begins on 9th July until 1st August and the cost is $2,080 CAD, excluding flights. The program runs on an annual basis so please feel free to inquire about future trips. If you have any specific questions, please contact the Program Coordinator, Richard Newell at Richard.newell@aegisstudents.org  For more information about the trip please see the attached brochure. You can also follow Aegis Trust on facebook , twitter, and check out the Discover Rwanda Blog for more information.

As STAND members, this trip provides a practical hands-on way for you to become involved in the building of Rwanda’s future. It will equip, train and inspire you to help us end genocide.

–
Monica Chakravarty is Principal Director of STAND Canada.

Last week, Amnesty International launched a human rights mission to Sudan. Amnesty International Canada’s Secretary-General, Alex Neve, is travelling to South Sudan to join an important human rights research mission to document such human rights abuses.  This mission will be investigating attacks on villages and the aerial bombings of the tens of thousands of civilians that have been occurring in Sudan’s border regions since the Summer of 2011 and inside South Sudan.

We applaud Amnesty International for taking initiative and implementing this fact-finding mission and we urge our supporters to follow Alex Neve and Amnesty International as they travel to Sudan to collect this critical information.  You can watch their video online HERE.  For more information about STAND’s policy recommendations please read our monthly STAND Digest.
—
Laurie Drake is Deputy Principal Director of STAND Canada.

By raising our collective voice as consumers, we can help bring about a shift in corporate policy and help bring peace to Congo. Please join us in letting Apple know they have the capacity to help stop the war in the Congo.

Ensure Apple plays their role in helping end the war in the Congo and ensure you play your role by spreading the word..

Use your voice as a consumer to demand change by filling out this petition HERE.

–

Monica Chakravarty is Principal Director of STAND Canada.

 A Little Bit About the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to some of the richest mineral deposits on earth, valued at an estimated total $24 trillion. All major armed groups in the eastern Congo, including the national army, profit handsomely by illicitly trading and taxing these minerals. Eastern Congo is particularly rich in gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum, minerals that are used in everything from vibrating cell phones to laptop computers. The U.N. Security Council Resolution 1896 explicitly recognized the link between the illegal exploitation of minerals, illicit trade in such resources, and the proliferation and trafficking of arms, declaring the minerals trade “one of the main factors fueling and exacerbating conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa.”

 The Campaign 

The Conflict-Free Campus Initiative is a nation-wide campaign to build the consumer voice for conflict-free electronics – cell phones, laptops, and other devices that do not finance war in eastern Congo. It draws on the power of student leadership and activism to encourage university officials and stake-holders to commit to measures that pressure electronics companies to take responsibility for the minerals in their supply chains, which have been contributing to the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo.

You can help STAND Canada achieve its vision!

·  Read up about the conflict

·  Learn more about where your technology comes from and how you can make more informed choices

·Launch a CFCI campaign on your campus (Email our Campaign Director, Navdeep Johal, at njohal@standcanada.org with your questions!)

· Make a donation and help STAND develop more resources

Together we can end genocide!

–

Laurie Drake is Deputy Principal Director of STAND Canada.

It gives us great pleasure to announce that we have secured for you the chance to attend a 3 week summer programme for students passionate about genocide prevention, taking place in Rwanda for 3 weeks this summer. Discover Rwanda, a programme developed by the UK based student genocide prevention organisation Aegis Students, begins in Kigali on the 9^th of July – ending on the 31^st. This programme, running since 2008, has taken many students from across the world to Rwanda. It is packed full of activities with a focus on learning about the genocide which tore Rwanda apart in 1994; visiting memorials, meeting the survivors, volunteering with their social programmes and engaging in activities to confront the legacy of the genocide and understand what we can do to help prevent it occurring again.

Discover Rwanda costs just $2050 CAD and includes accommodation, meals, transport in Rwanda, and any activities or seminars that take place on the trip. You are also responsible for the purchase of your own flight ticket to Rwanda, though is this something Aegis Students are able to advise you on.  Please visit their website for more information, videos from the programme, pictures and comments from past participants. You can also follow them on facebook , twitter, and the Discover Rwanda Blog for more information.

As STAND members, consider this trip as a vital part in your education; it provides a practical hands-on way for you to become involved in the building of Rwanda’s future. It will equip, train and inspire you to help us end genocide.

–

Monica Chakravarty is Principal Director of STAND Canada. If you have any questions and/or are interested in getting more information please contact Monica at mchakravarty[at]standcanada[dot] org.

In 2011, we witnessed many historic events, including the birth of the world’s newest nation, South Sudan. We also witnessed the people of Libya’s freedom from their corrupt regime, in addition to the birth of the Arab Spring movement. This year we urge you to help support us spread the movement of freedom to help us prevent future genocides. 

As mentioned in our holiday message, STAND is spreading our focus beyond the Sudans and the Democratic Republic of Congo to three more regions. Eventually throughout the year we will be spreading beyond these five regions as we build the capacity to do so. By broadening our range of regions we hope to become an accessible source for education and action for all Canadians. If you haven’t already done so, please consider supporting our path to growth by donating towards our holiday campaign.

As we approach the ninth year since the onset of the Darfur genocide and many preventable genocides since, I urge you to join STAND in fulfilling our New Year’s resolution: help us end genocide in 2012. We deem the occurrences of past genocides as a shame to our international community, and as a result the modern prevalence is simply unacceptable. 

Thank you for joining us on our journey of encouraging Canadian decision makers to stand against humanity’s gravest disasters through international policy and political will.

Best wishes for this year ahead. Together we can make genocide history – let this be the year!

–

Monica Chakravarty is Principal Director of STAND Canada.

The conference is from October 15th to the 16th at the University of Toronto. Share ideas and make yourself heard by applying today! Applications are due on October 1st, 2011.

Join the movement. Hope to see you there!

Please note: STAND will cover transportation and accommodation fees for out of town delegates. Apply today for the early bird $35 attendee fee.

Questions or concerns? Email us at conferences@standcanada.org for more information.

I was introduced to STAND as a grade 11 student when a presenter came to my school and informed my peers and I of the situation in Darfur. The profound impact of that one presentation ignited a hunger for knowledge which snowballed into the desire to advocate on behalf of modern genocide prevention. STAND’s mission entails narrowing the gap between the will to act and actually creating a positive impact in genocide prevention. Through starting off as a passionate student fighting for change myself, STAND made it easy by providing the tools I required to make a difference.

On July 9th 2011, the world witnessed the birth of the new South Sudan nation, yet the accompanying tensions have been escalating from the beginning of this summer. In this past week, the conflict has spread even further to the Bile Nile state. The discovery of eight mass graves dug up in the Nuba Mountains region since June reveals the consequences of inaction in a time of need. We must continue to condemn the military actions of the Sudanese government and call for an immediate cessation of attacks on civilians. The urgency to act proves more dire through each passing day.

While this year marks many challenges for the two Sudans,  it also provides grand opportunity for STAND. Through the usage of our campaigns and simple tools, STAND will continue to fight for peace in both Sudans. STAND strives to motivate Canada to become a world leader in the prevention of future instances of genocide, not only in the Sudans, but also by providing a framework for preventative measures moving forward.

Thank you for your continued support in taking a stand against genocide.

–

Monica Chakravarty is the new Principal Director of STAND Canada.

I am excited to introduce you to someone many of you already know, Monica Chakravarty, in her new role as Principal Director. Monica has been working closely with me in running the organization over the past year, and her enthusiasm and vision for the potential of our organization are inspiring. I am confident that with her in lead, our awesome team will achieve great things in the coming year.

Thank you all for your hard work and support over this past year. In my time as a STAND member these past five years, I have seen this organization grow from five to over 75 chapters, with hundreds of students across the country participating in our campaigns, hosting their own amazing initiatives and meeting with their MPs to advocate for peace in Sudan.  Last year, our organization met new challenges with a new majority government in place in Canada and a new country beginning in South Sudan. As violence in the Sudans continues to surge, it is up to us to hold our decision-makers accountable to take action. I know that coast-to-coast, STAND advocates will continue pushing to make action against genocide a cornerstone of Canadian foreign policy.

Though my time on the national team has come to an end, I will continue to serve as an advocate for peace in Sudan and transition into a mentorship role for the team. I have seen what a small group of students can bloom into over the course of five years – I am excited to see what the next five years will bring for STAND Canada and for the people of the Sudans.

In peace,

Elham Bidgoli, Past Principal Director.

During the course of this federal election, through our Speak The Name campaign, STAND has reached out to every candidate across the country and asked for their support on any of our foreign policy recommendations. The response has been great across all parties, with many candidates voicing their support for all four.

As you examine the issues and get ready to vote on Monday, I invite you to remember your voice as an activist for Darfur and anti-genocide advocacy.

Let your candidates know that you consider this to be a key election issue. Here’s how:

• Review the current party platforms on Darfur.

• Check our current list of supporters to see if your riding is represented yet. Email your candidates to ask them to join the Speak the Name campaign if they haven’t already.

• Send an email to our party leaders asking them to support one of our key policy recommendations.

Above all, please vote on Monday to ensure that those who support the issues that matter to you are represented in government. It is only when we vote for our representatives that we can truly hold them accountable.

–

Elham Bidgoli is Principal Director of STAND Canada.