Students Taking Action Now: Darfur - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition is an organization which seeks to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict

Darfur conflict

The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...

in the Darfur

Darfur

Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...

region of Sudan, raise relief funds for those affected by the conflict, and advocate for political action.

Organization & History

The organization consists of over 850 chapters at high schools, colleges, and universities located primarily in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, though STAND also has an international division, with chapters in more than 25 countries, including England, China, Canada, Sierra Leone, Singapore, and Israel. In April 2006, STAND merged with the Genocide Intervention Network

Genocide Intervention Network

thumb|right|300px|Genocide Intervention Network logoThe Genocide Intervention Network is a non-profit organization that "envisions a world in which the global community is willing and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities...

. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, where the first STAND chapter was formed in 2004 at Georgetown University

Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...

by a group of students.

Previously, STAND's name was an acronym for "Students Taking Action Now: Darfur" but in August 2006 it was officially changed to "STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition."

As the student division of the Genocide Intervention Network, STAND provides students with creative and effective national campaigns, organizing materials and resources, educational information, policy and advocacy training, and a network of informed and active peers. All of STAND's programs and policies are consistent with the Responsibility to Protect

Responsibility to protect

The responsibility to protect is a norm or set of principles based on the idea that sovereignty is not a privilege, but a responsibility. RtoP focuses on preventing and halting four crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing, which it places under the generic...

report, endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly

For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...

in 2005.

Each new STAND chapter is formed independently by students at their respective school. STAND chapters raise awareness on their campuses and in their communities, advocate to their elected officials for substantial legislative action, divest their schools, cities and states, and raise funds for civilian protection. All of STAND's national campaigns and resources are developed, implemented and distributed entirely by a student leadership team made up of students around the country.

Student Directors and High School Organizations

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! College
! Time Served
|-
| Patrick Schmitt
| Georgetown University

Georgetown University

| 2005–2006
|-
| Erin Mazursky
| Georgetown University

Georgetown University

| 2006–2007
|-
| Scott Warren
| Brown University

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

| 2007–2008
|-
| Nicholas Gaw
| Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....

| 2008–2009
|-
| Layla Amjadi
| Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

| 2009–2010
|-
| Andrea Hong
| Smith College

Smith College

Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...

| 2010–2011
|-

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! School
! Sponsor
! Years Active
|-
| Nederland High School

Nederland High School

Nederland High School is a 4A high school located in Nederland, Texas, USA and is part of the Nederland Independent School District which covers a portion of eastern Jefferson County.In 2009, the school was rated "Academically Acceptable" by the...

| Linda Parish
| 2008 -
|-

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