March 1, 2005
UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM’S COMMITTEE ON CONSCIENCE SUPPORTING NATIONWIDE MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR DARFUR
WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Committee on Conscience (COC) is encouraging participation in a nationwide minute of silence at colleges and schools across the country on Thursday, March 17, 2005, at 3:00 p.m. EST (2 p.m. CST, 1 p.m. MST, and noon PST) to focus attention on the ongoing genocide in Darfur. To maximize participation and coordination between events, individuals, schools and participating organizations are encouraged to register their activities at www.committeeonconscience.org.
“The genocide in Darfur continues,” says the Museum’s Committee on Conscience Staff Director, Jerry Fowler. “While a peace accord was recently signed between the Sudanese government and Sudanese People’s Liberation Front, it does not address the conflict in Darfur. The atrocities there proceed while the world’s attention is drawn elsewhere. The moment of silence aims to remind people of what is happening and encourage them to get involved in stopping it.”
The COC has issued a “Genocide Emergency” for Darfur and has been working to bring attention to the crisis through a number of outreach efforts. In January, the COC hosted A Call to Action, Darfur, Sudan, a conference for student leaders working to bring attention to the issue on their campuses. More than 400 students from approximately 90 campuses nationwide attended the program and began developing strategies to organize student responses. Many conference attendees are spearheading a moment of silence on their campuses. More information about the COC and Darfur is available at www.committeeonconscience.org.
Mandated by Congress, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the Holocaust. A public-private partnership that has welcomed more than 21 million visitors, the Museum brings the history and lessons of the Holocaust to the nation through educational outreach, teacher training, traveling exhibitions, and scholarship. The Committee on Conscience guides the Museum’s efforts to educate about, prevent and respond to contemporary genocide.
