Pursuing a world without genocide

It has been four years since one moment changed my life.

Acol Dor, a Sudanese refugee, stunned an audience of 200 young people with her story of Darfur. As the crowd sat silenced, one student stood up and said "I think we all agree. We need to do something about this." That was the flap of the butterfly's wing that started the hurricane that is Stand and Canada's Darfur advocacy movement.

This blog had been used for a number of purposes so far: discussing policy ideas, sharing analysis of Darfur, reporting on Darfur news, reporting on Stand’s successes. But I want to add something new and important: telling the stories of the Darfur advocacy movement. I will be clear about my intent: I want more people to hear our story. I want more people to be inspired to join us. I want more people to see that they are not alone in their convictions and can stand with us. I want young people already volunteering with Stand to feel apart of something greater, and to have the confidence to know that I - and thousands of others - are supporting their work.

The tone of these blogs may exude an aura of importance. Don't be turned off. The reason is simple: fighting to end genocide is important. It is too great an ill in this world. After 4 years of Darfur advocacy we must be ready to declare: we are not satisfied just planning "events"; this cause is important enough to demand that we fight until genocide never happens again.

And I want to hear from you. We will have differences. Let us learn from them. Consider your challenges to these ideas a benefit for Darfuris in our important mission.

In my first blog, I will take on a modest task: tell the story - as I see it - of what we all need to do to help stop a genocide. Read on.


Ben Fine
Volunteer, Founder
Stand Canada