Causecast

By Layla Amjadi, STAND Student Director

From December 1-7, we have the chance to take part in something bigger than ourselves. During the first week of December, thousands of people are pledging to join the movement to prevent genocide. The key word here is prevention.

As citizens, we have the power to shift the U.S. government’s mindset from solely reacting to ongoing crises like those in Sudan, Congo, and Eastern Burma, and focus on preventing situations that may escalate into genocide. Achieving this dual-focus goal will truly be a historic moment for U.S. foreign policy. There is so much that the United States can do to prevent genocide – we only need to muster the political will to make it happen.

The National Canvass to Prevent Genocide, an initiative organized by the Genocide Intervention Network in collaboration with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gives us the opportunity to muster that political will. We will “canvass” our communities, campuses, and neighborhoods to talk to people about the importance of genocide prevention, as well as inform them of the role that they have in demanding action from our government.

We need to share the following message with our friends, family, classmates, and co-workers:

Individual actions matter. Improving how we prevent and respond to genocide begins when we join together and pledge to build a better future. Your pledge is your commitment to be a part of the grassroots movement for genocide prevention. More than 30,000 pledges have been made thus far. Will you help us reach 40,000 pledges?

Join in on the action today and invite everyone you know to be part of the movement:

• Sign the pledge.

• Ask your friends to sign the pledge by tweeting I just joined the movement to prevent genocide. Will you? http://bit.ly/2F8rmY #pledge.

• Hold a canvass event on your campus and get as many people as you can to sign the pledge! Online you’ll find pledge cards that people can print out and sign.

Unbelievably, there are many people who still don’t know that genocide is a problem today or that their actions can contribute to the effort to prevent and end genocide. We are lucky enough to know what’s going on. Therefore, it is our responsibility to spread the word and give others around us the chance to join the movement.

I know we all believe that all people have the right to live in a world without genocide. December 1-7 is our chance to help make that world a reality. Take the pledge today.