Par: Chris Michael, Posté le: Nov 9 09

Regions: Global, United States

Issues: Armed conflict, Crimes against humanity, Genocide, Mass killings

Tags: genocide, genocide prevention, lobby day, mass atrocities, Pledge2Protect, video advocacy

UPDATE 11.10.09:  Watch this video report-back from lobby day, which features how STAND activists ushered-in a new era of video advocacy!  

This past weekend I've been with over 800 youth anti-genocide leaders from around the country in Washington D.C. as part of Pledge2Protect, a conference designed to educate, empower and highlight the work of activists who are driving the movement to prevent and stop genocide and mass atrocities (see my last post to learn more about the conference and the campaign).

Today is also the culmination of the first phase of Pledge on Camera, part of Pledge2Protect, and a partnership between WITNESS and STAND, the student-led division of Genocide Intervention Network.

This morning over 600 youth anti-genocide leaders are lobbying their Senators as part of the largest genocide prevention lobby day in history - and they're also ushering in a new way for citizens to lobby Congress.

Pledge On Camera is designed to remind Congress of the moral and political imperative to ensure that genocide will not occur on their watch or in the future – to make “never again” a reality once and for all.  The anti-genocide movement is calling for Congress to create the first comprehensive genocide  and mass atrocities prevention legislation.

In this first phase of the campaign, and in support of the lobby day, students have created over 500 video messages for their Senators.  Chapters in each state chose the best messages from their state and integrated and remixed them into the core video (and below) that STAND and WITNESS have produced (view full credits). 

SPOTLIGHT: STAND Students Creating and Integrating Video to Lobby their Senators 

Here are 5 out of 50 unique, personalized video examples, ranging from fully remixed videos to fantastic video introductions and calls to action from student and community leaders in the Senators' states.

STAND Florida's Video for Senator Nelson

STAND California's Video for Senator Boxer

STAND Wisconsin's Video for Senator Feingold

STAND Connecticut's Video for Senator Lieberman

In addition to these remixes and the lobby day meeting, students will leave behind their personalized videos as well as this core video and seven extended interviews with members of the Genocide Prevention Task Force - including Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, Michael Gerson, President George W. Bush' Senior Advisor and Speech Writer, and Mark Hanis, the President of Genocide Intervention Network.