INFORMATION FOR

Today, UN agencies estimate that there are more than two million internally displaced persons in Darfur and 250,000 refugees in camps in Eastern Chad.  There have been over 450,000 deaths since 2003 and four million currently need assistance.  This is where Tents of Hope comes into the story.  Tents of Hope is a one-year campaign to raise spiritual and physical support for refugees.  On November 8 and 9, Duke sent thirty-four freshmen to Washington, D.C. with a large canvas tent and monetary donation to the Gathering of the Tents, the culminating event of the campaign.  People from over 350 cities and fifteen countries painted and decorated tents to be shipped to refugee camps in Eastern Chad.  There, the tents will be used as community schools and shelters.    Over the weekend, both Save Darfur and STAND, a student run anti-genocide organization held conferences as well, making a big scene on the National Mall in D.C.    

On November 2, the 16’ by 20’ canvas tent was set up on the quad on East Campus.  Campus Council provided the funding for the tent and East Campus Council and the Armadillo Grill provided the food.  The event went well, with a couple hundred students coming by to decorate every open spot on the tent.  Everyone loved painting the tent and sending their own message to the people of Darfur.    

At the culminating event in D.C., the thirty-four freshmen sat in on a presentation by STAND and attended the rally.  We heard from many speakers, including Mohamed A. Yahya, the founder and executive director of DAMANGA, who started the first grass roots awareness movement for Darfur after his village had been attacked.  This event was truly inspirational and informative. 

Personally, I was really surprised by what I found out throughout this process.  My high school did not have a strong involvement in the Darfur crisis, and I actually knew very little about it before this summer.  The summer reading, “What is the What,” was my first real exposure to the situation.  When I heard about this campaign from Kelly, the Alspaugh GR, I read up on the genocide and previewed “Darfur Now,” in our common room.  While sitting through the documentary, I was amazed and frustrated that this has been going on so long.  Even after the International Criminal Court put out arrest warrants for Ahmed Haroun and Ali Kushayb, nothing has been done; Bashir and the government refuse to release Haroun for trial. 
Now, I am trying to think of what one person, so far away from everything can do.  Fortunately, this weekend has taught me that I am not one person, and that there is a lot to be done.  Seeing crowds of people and listening to activists opened my eyes.  Mohamed was telling our group that we can all be leaders, whether in helping Darfur or our local community.  No matter where you are, you must think of yourself as a leader, as there is always something you can do and someone you can help.  For example, the demonstration in DC, this article, and the postcards being sent to president-elect Obama will all raise awareness and hopefully put a stop to this genocide.  While I continue to debate how I can more directly help the displaced millions, I hope you all think about the situation and realize that we can make a difference.

 To see photos of this event, visit: http://flickr.com/photos/dukeuniversity

All of the students on the trip shared similar feelings and many wished to portray them here as well:
“When my roommate first signed me up for this trip without my knowing, I was a little skeptical to say the least. I loved the idea of being able to help those suffering from genocide around the world, but the actual trip to Washington D.C. seemed a little unnecessary. What I didn’t account for was the amount that I would learn about the actual crisis in Darfur and the power of vast numbers of people gathering together for a common cause. It was an incredible experience; I am so glad I went.” –Harrison Hines 

“I was not quite sure what to expect before coming to the Tents of Hope Rally in D.C. What really amazed me was seeing row after row of tents, all with their own unique design and all from different parts of the country. Sometimes the genocide in Darfur can seem abstract and detached from us in America, so it was especially inspiring to see so much support for this cause. I cannot think of a better way for a group of students to spend their weekend.” –Sanette Tanaka

“When planning this trip with the House Council, I immediately knew that it was something in which I wanted to participate.   The main difference between this experience and other community service activities involves the educational value which came out of it.  After being exposed to different people and events over the past two days, I truly feel that I am a more aware and educated person about the genocide in Darfur and its unfortunate reality.   I have come to the realization that change is a feasible option, and anyone can play a crucial role.” – Amanda DeQuattro

“I think one of the coolest parts of the trip was attending the interfaith service on Sunday morning.  I had never been to an interfaith service before, and it was neat to see people from different religions and different parts of the world come together to stop the genocide in Darfur.  After reading some poems she wrote,  a 14 year-old Darfuri girl commented that it’s true that we all have bold differences , but if you look at the bigger picture, we’re all remarkably similar, and we must work together to fix Sudan.  I think each of the communities present at the service gained inspiration from the other communities, expressed by the high motivation and excitement at the service.” –Kevin Lieberman

“The tents of Hope conference this past weekend went a long way both in aiding anti-genocide efforts in Darfur and raising awareness within the U.S.  The large collection of painted tents was an awe-inspiring demonstration of sympathy and willingness to help on the parts of the many colleges who sent students to D.C.  Duke students also had multiple opportunities to experience other aspects of world affairs and history, as our visit to the Holocaust Museum marked the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, not to mention that the historic 2008 election had taken place just five days before our arrival.  On the whole, the weekend was well-spent, both in helping fight genocide around the world and in encouraging others to do the same.” –Remy Lupica

“I was really amazed by how many fellow students came out and helped paint the tent on Sunday.  It showed how much we all came together for the common cause of aiding those in Darfur.  This event provided the perfect opportunity for us to express both our creativity and our desire to reach out to those less fortunate.  This was yet another important step in ending the genocide in Darfur.”          –Brandon Ruderman

“I feel that participating in Tents of Hope program was a great way to show the Duke community's overwhelming support for the ongoing situation in Darfur. It was great to see friends and strangers alike all coming together to paint the tent and raise awareness for the cause. I hope that this
cause becomes an ongoing effort for every incoming freshman class at Duke!” –Sneha Jain

“Gentle golden light from the autumn sun illuminated the motivational colors spelling “peace”, “unity”, “hope” and “love”.   A sea of tents spilled forth from the Capitol steps, masking the usual greenery with a vision of another world – a world where people live with the pain of human loss, live in make-shift shelters because their villages are now rubble and ash, live with the fear of leaving the deceptively secure boundaries of refugee camps to search for firewood because they might be raped or killed, and live with the daily struggle to keep living and maintain any glimpse of hope that someone might deliver them from this injustice.  This world is Darfur, Sudan.  With 400,000 civilians dead and 2.5 million others displaced, Darfur deserves to be given a voice and a chance.  The tents upon the lawn called to the lawmakers of Capitol Hill to pass legislation that will stop the genocide and spread the ideals of peace and justice to the oppressed citizens of Sudan, our fellow human beings. 

Our tent stood among hundreds of others in proclamation that people do care about the plight of the Sudanese and that change is eminent.  Hilary Jampel, a college senior and one of the Coordinators of STAND, the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, spoke to our group to impassion us to act and cause change.  Lobbying legislators, educating students, fundraising for projects like solar cookers (so women do not have to risk getting raped in the search for firewood) or for boots for the soldiers in Sudan – this is what students our age have accomplished through STAND.  Some have gotten arrested for protesting in front of the White House, but the STAND members believe that their cause is worth it.  A refugee of the conflict in Darfur, Mohamed, implored that we, so young, energetic, passionate, and capable, do whatever we can to make a difference.  We could teach English to the education-starved children in displacement camps, or we could donate time to organizations like STAND, or we could raise awareness in our own cities by starting new action groups.  ¬Mohamed explained how he fled from his burning village, contemplated fighting with the rebel army, and then decided to teach himself English in six months so that he could leave the despair and make the atrocities public.  He wrote the first news article circulated about the genocide in Darfur, placing this grotesque secret on the conscience of the world.  One person can make a difference – what do you do?” –Allie Beckemeyer

I would like to give special thanks to Philip Duhart, LB Bergene, Kelly Taylor, Campus Council, East Campus Council, Armadillo Grill, all of the students and employees who helped paint the tent, the Alspaugh House Council, as well as the Pegram, Brown, Giles, Randolph, and Belltower House Councils for making this possible!