Category: Our Projects

About Stars for Darfur

Stars for Darfur is a worldwide campaign to rally global voices working towards women’s rights, civil liberties and social equality to support our efforts and contribute to the restoration of dignity for genocide survivors and victims in Darfur. This project focuses on the engagement of our communities and features prominent individuals to commemorate those affected by the violence.

Following the success of our virtual 2020 Stars for Darfur Event, Darfur Women Action Group announced the decision to extend the Stars for Darfur campaign. The invitation to be a part of the movement is ongoing to any and all supporters. We encourage movement builders to reach out to friends, family, and their community to join us as we strive to empower affected communities and achieve meaningful inclusion and justice for victims.

Origin Story

The campaign’s inception began in 2010 when Italian musician Antonio Esposito and New York-based pianist, composer, and painter Mark Kostabi took an unprecedented initiative to support women empowerment and genocide victims in Darfur. The urgency to help Darfur refugees was set in motion after an eye-opening visit to Darfur. As a result, Antonio Esposito recorded organized a concert and recorded a CD to raise funds for our partner organization, Italians for Darfur to support education for internally displaced children in Darfur. The next year, Antonio Esposito and Mark Kostabi reached out to Darfur Women Action to become our top supporters.

The concept launched from there as an annual fundraising event to raise awareness of the mass-atrocities that have plagued Darfur for nearly two decades. Since 2012, Darfur Women Action Group has hosted charity concerts with live performances and art auctions with paintings by Mark Kostabi as well as handcrafted pieces made by Sudanese women who are eager to see their pieces invested back into their communities. All proceeds that are raised from the event go directly to aiding in the restoration of justice and an end to violence in Darfur.

Stand in solidarity with us by taking one or more of the following actions:

1. Add your name to our Stars for Darfur campaign to bring more attention to our cause
2. Organize an event, performance or share artwork to promote the urgency of the crisis and our organization
3. Write and make public a letter to policymakers and leaders to demand civilian protections in Sudan
4. Extend an opportunity to Darfur Women Action Group’s President, Niemat Ahmadi for an interview on your platform to share her experience as a Darfur survivor, stories of other women and how Darfur Women Action Group is working to empower victims and seek justice to enable men, women, and children to restore their dignity
5. Publish an article in efforts to increase awareness on the Darfur crisis
6. Speak out on the Darfur genocide and/or Darfur Women Action Group on social media

Join us by sharing one of the graphics on your social media platform. Don’t forget to tag us and tell us about your commitment to reach #JusticeforDarfur.

Featured Supporters

Tony Esposito

Antonio “Tony” Esposito is an Italian singer-songwriter and drummer that catalyzed the campaign. He is a reoccurring featured artist for the annual event.

To view his discography and learn more, click here.

Mark Kostabi

Mark Kostabi is a prominent painter, sculptor and composer. He has donated his artwork to multiple auctions and performed at the Stars for Darfur events.

To view his work and learn more, click here.

Paul Kostabi

Paul Kostabi is an American artist, musician, and music producer. He has continued to support Darfur victims and our efforts through the charity concert.

To view his page and learn more, click here.

More supporters to be added.

 

The Silent Auction is Open

Place a bid on one of the art pieces and make a donation

The silent art auction features works by Mark Kostabi and other artists that has been donated to DWAG. The artists and craftswomen have contributed their work to support DWAG’s efforts to advance human rights, women’s rights, and justice in Darfur as well as investing positively back into their respective communities around the world.

SILENT AUCTION

2020 Stars for Darfur

2019 Stars for Darfur

For more information, please contact mediarelations@darfurwomenaction.org

About the 50/50 Campaign

DWAG is taking a unique approach to genocide prevention and strives to empower and amplify the voices of those affected the most in Darfur. Through the 50/50 campaign we are seeking to build a national network of 50 upstanding citizens who want to make a difference. State representatives are volunteer supporters representing DWAG and working toward advancing DWAG’s mission in their respective states within the US.

This program is open to high school or college students, working or retired adults who want to use their time to do community service, learn about genocide prevention and international issues, or want to gain hands on experience as agents of change.

So far, we have reached individuals in California, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Wisconsin. We need representatives in the remaining 41 states to meet our goal of having one representative in every state. If you believe you are an upstanding individual who aspires to be a leader in your community, then you are perfect to join our team!

State representatives are presented with DWAG educational materials and resources to educate other supporters and their own established network about the genocide in Darfur and what they can do to help. Advocacy methods include:

• Share DWAG educational handouts
• Organize documentary screenings
• Share our petitions
• Rally support for DWAG campaigns
• Amplify DWAG messages through social media platforms
• Write letters to elected officials like congresspeople and the president
• Write letters to the editors
• Invite other potential volunteers to join
• Write, update and maintain a blog

State representatives don’t have to spend a lot of time as this is not a full internship, but we encourage them to have time to attend monthly meetings, attend training sessions, and do some social media outreach to bring others to support DWAG’s efforts.

Women Empowering Women Centers:

Unique in its scope and context, these centers will serve first and foremost as a safe space for female survivors to gather, share their stories, receive psycho-social support, and heal. The centers will provide access to capacity-building tools and resources that are desperately needed in order for women to respond to the needs of their communities. The WEW Center’s activities will provide women

with advocacy training, a network of other survivors, and a connection to the outside world that will allow them to develop a strategic feminist agenda that can be implemented and adopted by policymakers at local, regional, and national levels, giving women from historically-marginalized groups a voice in the ongoing constitution-building process in Sudan.

Help fund our Women Empowering Women Center in Sudan

DONATE

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, showed leadership, strength and compassion in the face of enormous pressure from the family she married into and the weight of the world’s expectations. Her recent interview was vital to drawing attention to centuries of institutionalized racism and sexism. We believe that it will help people understand her side of the story, and also ease the pressure on and give a voice to women in archaic institutions who may never have the chance to speak up. In coming forward with her story, Meghan has become a role model for young women around the world of all races, backgrounds, religions, and nationalities.

View DWAG’s Statement of Recognition

Sylvia Ruth Gutmann is an author, speaker, and Holocaust survivor. Born in 1939, Ms. Gutmann grew up hiding from the Nazis. At the age of 3 she was torn from her mother, who was deported to the death camp at Auschwitz. Having both parents murdered in the Holocaust and eventually immigrating to America, Ms. Gutmann had to learn to assimilate as a survivor of genocide. Although she spent the majority of her life coping with loss, trauma, and loneliness, Ms. Gutmann has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and advocating for human rights around the world. Ms. Gutmann’s resilience as a survivor of genocide demonstrates the strength and emotional fortitude of women.

See our full Video Feature

Fatou Bensouda currently works as the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In 2011, Ms. Bensouda was elected by the unanimous decision from the Assembly of States Parties, making her the first woman Prosecutor of the ICC. Prior to her appointment to this prestigious office, Ms. Bensouda quickly rose through the ranks of the judicial system in The Gambia where she was born and raised. Ms. Bensouda has had a rich background in negotiations in treaties such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and served as a delegate in the United Nations while attending conferences on crime prevention. Her first encounter with the ICC was when she was working as the Legal Advisor and Trial Attorney for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Ms. Bensouda has done outstanding work in justice, accountability, and leading prosecutions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Recently, Ms. Bensouda has been working tirelessly to achieve justice for the victims and their families of the Darfur genocide while negotiating with the Sudanese government on trial dates. DWAG is grateful for the Ms. Bensouda’s efforts to prosecute Omar al-Bashir and other officials who are guilty of crimes against humanity, inciting mass rape in Darfur, and the murder of over 300,000 innocent individuals.

DWAG’s Global Week of Action: End the Genocide in Darfur and Demand Accountability to Prevent Future Genocide

Please join us from April 19, 2022 through April 28, 2022

Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) cordially invites you to join our Global Week of Action during this Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. We invite you to organize events in solidarity with the genocide victims in Darfur and to recommit yourself to the fight for adequate justice for victims under the slogan of “A Future Without Genocide.”

The Darfur genocide is one of the worst and longest genocides in history. We need you because of the urgency of the situation. We invite you to join us in our planned activities for our Global Week of Action or organize your own, including rallies, protests, panel discussions, or video screenings, to bring attention back to the forgotten plight of those still suffering in Darfur. The Darfur genocide that began 20 years ago is ongoing while millions are trapped in makeshift camps and fearful of going home because their attackers haven’t been apprehended or held accountable. The fear is still present because the anti-genocide movement has faded out and the voice of concerned citizens has gone silent.

To date, millions of people have been killed, displaced, and rape is continuously used as a weapon of war while most of the world leaders remain silent. Recently, there has been escalating violence against innocent civilians. There are attacks across Darfur against those who have survived genocide and those survivors have been displaced hundreds of times. The Sudanese armed forces have thrown protestors and resistance leaders in jail without formal charges. The armed forces are killing innocent people including human rights activists in places like Jebel Moon and nearby areas as well as setting villages on fire.

Due to a lack of accountability, the genocide in Darfur is still ongoing. From April 19th through April 28th, supporters of DWAG, Sudanese activists, and friends of Sudan and Darfur are invited to join DWAG’s Global Week of Action or create their own week of action. DWAG’s Global Week of Action will include:

• April 19, 2022
  • Attend DWAG’s Facebook Live discussion with DWAG’S President and Founder Niemat Ahmadi and Darfuri-American singer and actor Dua Saleh

• April 20, 2022
  • Share on social media: DWAG will share a video highlighting voices in Darfur for supporters to re-share on their own social media.

• April 22, 2022
  • Write an email or letter to and/or call your congressperson. The template can be found on DWAG’s website and will be linked on our social media the day of.

• April 24, 2022
  • A Future Without Genocide fundraiser: 2 mile solidarity walk to mark 20 years since the beginning of the Darfur genocide.
    • Supporters are encouraged to go on a 2 mile solidarity walk wherever they are in their world and tag DWAG in a photo on social media.
    • Those in Washington D.C. are encouraged to join DWAG for a 2 mile walk from the Washington Monument to t 

       

      he Sudanese Embassy where we will gather with the Darfur Interfaith Network for their monthly protest.

• April 28, 2022
  • Launch of the Atrocity Prevention Framework. Details forthcoming.

 

We need your support in the fight against genocide. If we can get people to take action, we can show the world that we care and that in the face of genocide, the world must not look the other way. We can make a difference. Please let us know if you will be joining us in any or all of these activities.

Please share with us your plan so we can help amplify your voice by encouraging people to join you and promote your events on social media.

 

Thank you,

Darfur Women Action Group

 

Phone Banking Script:

Hello, my name is (name), and I am your constituent from (City, State). I am calling to ask (Representative/senator’s name) to support and accelerate the Sudan Democracy Act before it is too late. I am deeply concerned about the suffering and violence against civilians in Sudan and would like to ask you as my (representative/senator) to be a voice for the people of Sudan. By asking the US government to pressure the military leaders in Sudan, in particular, Lt. General al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagalo, to immediately step down and allow the establishment of a civilian-led government in Sudan. I urge you in your role to demand that the United States impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezing and travel bans on individuals responsible for the coup, ordering excessive force against civilians, and escalating violence in Darfur to hold them accountable for their actions. It is time for the U.S. to make accountability and protection of human rights in Sudan a priority and stand with the Sudanese people as they fight for their last hold on freedom and democracy. Therefore, as your constituent, I kindly urge you to be a voice for those voiceless in Sudan by supporting the United States’ efforts to end the crisis in Sudan through the bipartisan Sudan Democracy Act that will impose targeted sanctions on the military junta before it is too late. Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Email Script:

Hello (Congressperson’s Name),

My name is (name), and I am your constituent from (city, state). I am deeply concerned about the situation of innocent men, women, and children in Sudan. For this reason, I am emailing you on behalf of Darfur Women Action Group to ask you to support and accelerate the Sudan Democracy Act before it is too late. The United States must put pressure on military leaders in Sudan, in particular, Lt. General al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagalo, to immediately step down and allow the establishment of a civilian-led government in Sudan.

The genocide that began 20 years ago has not been resolved until this date. The suffering of the Darfuri people has gone far too long, and violence has spread across Sudan. Following the ouster of Bashir after 30 years of corrupt and genocidal governance, I was hopeful that there would be peace and a democratic transition in Sudan. Unfortunately, the military coup has wiped out all the progress that was achieved since 2019 and destroyed the hope of millions of young people and women who marched peacefully, demanding freedom, peace, and justice in Sudan. As I have been following the situation in Sudan for years, I realized that Sudan will not achieve peace without strong accountability measures. For this reason, I demand the United States to lead a multilateral action in Sudan in order to establish a civilian-led government and promote peace and stability. Thus, I urge you in your role to demand that the United States impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezing and travel bans on individuals responsible for the coup and ordering excessive force against civilians to hold them accountable for their actions. I also demand that those responsible for committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Darfur are held accountable for their past and current crimes.

Since Bashir was successfully deposed in the 2019 revolution, the Sudanese people have been fighting for their freedom and transparent democratic rule. The military coup conducted on October 25th was a major blow to the democratization progress and prospect of peace in Sudan. Therefore, as your constituent, I kindly urge you to be a voice for those voiceless in Sudan by supporting the United States’ efforts to end the crisis in Sudan through the bipartisan Sudan Democracy Act that will impose targeted sanctions on the military junta before it is too late.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Sincerely,

(Name)