mtvU Mobilizes To Protest Genocide in Sudan |
Written by Robert ID1109 |
Tuesday, 05 April 2005 05:42 |
Empowering the college community to stop the genocide in Sudan, mtvU, the 24-hour college network, today announced that students at over 160 colleges and universities nationwide will participate in mtvU's "STANDFast -- A National Day Of Remembrance and Action" on April 7th. Forgoing life as usual, students from OSU, Michigan, Arizona, NYU, Cal Berkeley, Harvard, Penn, Stanford, Northwestern, Duke and more will be fasting by giving up time and everyday purchases to generate money and awareness to stop the crisis. Marking the 11th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide, students will "STANDFast" together in a range of activities including concerts, demonstrations, food donations, seminars, speeches and more. mtvU's partner, "S.T.A.N.D. -- Students Taking Action Now: Darfur," was founded by students at Georgetown University. "History proves that college students are a powerful engine for social change," said Stephen Friedman, GM of mtvU. "With STANDFast, they are mobilizing in the millions to prevent another Rwanda in Darfur." In addition to coverage of "STANDFast" events, mtvU will broadcast 24- hours of commercial-free programming on April 7th, entirely devoted to the Sudan crisis and student response. mtvU Sudan programming includes: mtvU "SudanCorrespondent Documentary" -- Chosen from hundreds of applicants, three student correspondents traveled with mtvU to the Sudan region for one week to witness the crisis firsthand. They include Stephanie Nyombayire, a freshman at Swarthmore College and native of Rwanda, Nate Wright, a junior at Georgetown University and co-founder of S.T.A.N.D., and Andrew Karlsruher, a student filmmaker and freshman at Boston University. mtvU "Stand In" with Elie Wiesel" -- In this extraordinary episode of the mtvU series "Stand In," Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel pays a surprise visit to the University of Miami's "International Development & Human Welfare" seminar, where he discusses his own personal experiences and their similarities to the current genocide in Darfur. Jonathan Safran Foer and Moby Collaborate -- Critically acclaimed best selling young author, Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything Is Illuminated) pays a visit to mtvU partner schools to photograph and interview students about the crisis in Sudan. The end product is a dynamic and compelling verbal and visual collage all set to new music composed by Moby. PSAs Featuring Don Cheadle & Francis Bok -- Public service announcements, co-produced with Amnesty International, feature Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle, and 25 year-old former Sudanese slave Francis Bok. Spotlight on Students & Sudan -- In this special feature, a Sudanese college basketball player, Sudanese and Rwandan refugees pursuing their degrees, a young Sudanese music teacher, and other student activists, provide their very personal and human perspective on the crisis. MTV News & CBS News on mtvU -- With partners MTV News and CBS News, mtvU covers the day's STANDFast events nationwide, provides a historical background and updated news on the crisis, and features mtvU's student Sudan correspondent Stephanie Nyombayire's April 6th press conference in Washington DC. mtvU Music -- Finally, throughout the day, mtvU will also air music videos celebrating African artists and messages from musicians and artists supporting the cause. mtvU will also air segments from recently launched MTV Base Africa for a unique take on youth culture around the globe. For all the details on mtvU's STANDFast events, news on the crisis, and comprehensive information on how to get involved, visit http://www.mtvU.com. A one-stop resource for students, mtvU.com features regular news updates, critical facts, information on relief organizations, a list of STANDFast partner schools, online dairies from mtvU's Sudan student correspondents, photographic journals from college-age Darfurians documenting their daily lives, and much more. Broadcasting to over 700 colleges across the country, with a combined enrollment of close to 6.4 million, mtvU is the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. 24hrs a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S. For more information about mtvU, and for a complete programming schedule, visit http://www.mtvu.com . |