DC Trip Day 3

This was our intensive conference day - 13 hours of training! After breakfast, we piled in a couple vans to avoid the icy sidewalks and arrived at 830. Our first panel was about sexual violence in conflict areas. 

It is a terrible problem in so many countries but there are efforts like the International Protocol from last year's Global Summit that could make a difference IF they were implemented. 

Next was our keynote speaker US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power (!!!) who joined us by Skype hosted by John Prendergast (!!) Founder of the Enough Project. 

She gave us so much current detail about our efforts in various conflicts, and also told us how she started as a sports reporter until images of Tiennanmen and then Bosnia inspired her to become a war correspondent, then lawyer, author of A Problem From Hell, and then am advisor to Obama. See video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtgBlGyCrkA 

We then had a very heady panel about the shift to using a new economic "tool box" to combat mass atrocities - sanctions, etc. 

 We then had a working lunch in which we broke into groups to hear about different conflict areas. 

From Emily: "Violence in Sudan is increasing and the genocide has killed over 2 million people in the past few decades. This year, the UN estimates that around 7 million people are currently in need of humanitarian services. The government of Sudan, especially the president in Khartoum, Omar al-Bashir has been the infamous driving force behind this genocide and he must be stopped."   From Dalton: "After achieving independence in 2011, violence in South Sudan escalated in December, 2013. The country is now in the midst of both a civil war over their leadership and in a war with Sudan over territory. 2014 was the bloodiest year in the past ten years for Sudan and South Sudan. Attention must be given to stop the violence, too many empty peace agreements have been signed, it has to come to an end."

This is our old friend Omer Ismail who came to the Cape for our event in the summer of 2009 - see http://hhsstand.blogspot.com/2009/08/dinner-and-concert-fundraiser-nets-4170.html 

After lunch we came together to hear from Larry Wohlers - retired US Ambassador to the Central African Republic, who helped us understand the background and current prospects for peace. CAR is a focus for STAND this year. 

After some advocacy training, we met as a group to plan our presentation for our Capotol Hill hearings tomorrow. 

After a break, we did a fun story telling exercise and did some media training. We then finished up with discussion groups over a late dinner. Finally, a beautiful night's walk down H Street to our hotel. 

Need to rest up for a busy Lobby Day tomorrow!