How often do we stop to reflect how truly lucky we are? And how often do we make a gesture to help those truly in need? What difference will one voice make? If you think of how many drops of water are in the ocean, then the answer is “a lot.” The only way to mobilize political commitment for important causes is through public pressure, one voice at a time.

I’ve personally just made the decision to sign the ONE Declaration committing myself to help fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. And I’m asking you to make that commitment, too, by adding your voice. http://www.one.org/declare/

ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans - one by one. So far, over two million have signed the declaration in support of a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world.

ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life – united as ONE – to help make poverty history. We are a campaign of over 2.4 million people and growing from all 50 states and over 100 of America’s most well-known and respected non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world’s poorest countries.

ONE is nonpartisan; there’s only one side in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty. Working on the ground in communities, colleges and churches across the United States, ONE members ask America’s leaders to increase efforts to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, from the U.S. budget and presidential elections to specific legislation on debt cancellation, increasing effective international assistance, making trade fair, and fighting corruption. Everyone can join the fight.

The goal of ending poverty may seem lofty, but it is within our reach if we take action together as one. You can start now by joining the ONE Campaign and pledging your voice to the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS.

Together as ONE we can make a difference!

Thanks!

I’m taking some time off and will be back at the end of July. In the meantime, please feel free to browse some of my older posts!

Cheers, Dani

1 MILLION SIGNATURES FOR DARFUR

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EMERGENCY EUROPETITION
to the Heads of government of the European Union and the Institutions of the European Union for immediate dispatch of an international protection force to Darfur.

Initiative coordinated by the Collectif Urgence Darfour/Emergency Darfur Coalition (www.urgencedarfour.com)

To the Heads of Government of the European Union Member States,
To Mr José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission,
To Mr Javier Solana, High representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union,

We European citizens, can no longer remain indifferent and passive in the face of the true war against civilians presently taking place in Darfur, in the West of Sudan.

The army of Sudan and the Jinjaweed militias, mainly in the name of their “black African” identity, have committed massacres of entire villages, killing their Masalit, Fur, Zaghawa and other fellow-countrymen who constitute the majority of the six million inhabitants of Darfur.

Many already refer to Darfur as the first genocide of the 21st century.

Already 400 000 innocent men, women and children have been killed. Tens of thousands of people have been raped, tortured and terrorized. More than two and a half million others have been chased from their homes. Every hour, every day, the number of victims increases!

The United Nations has qualified the exactions committed against the populations as war crimes and crimes against humanity, and has referred to the International criminal Court.

Humanitarian action is intentionally being hindered by the government of Sudan. Some NGOs have had no choice other than to suspend their programmes and leave the area. Others have been quite simply forced to leave.

Today, according to the United Nations observers, more than two and a half million refugees or displaced persons do not or no longer have access to international aid and are now exposed to death from malnutrition and disease.

This unbearable and persistent situation in Darfur creates even more instability in this region and worsens other humanitarian disasters in Chad and in the Central African Republic.

Over the last four years, ten resolutions have been voted by the United Nations without any concrete result on the government of Khartoum.

Upon leaving his position last December, Kofi Annan acknowledged that Darfur was the most serious failure the United Nations has had in recent years.

Every minute is costing the lives of more innocent people

Ladies and Gentlemen, as the European Parliament requested in its resolution dated 15th February 2007, voted unanimously, you must act now!

In line with resolution 1706 of the UN Security Council, the European states must immediately send a buffer force with a mandate to:

Furthermore, it is essential to:

It is Europe’s duty to intervene today and exercise its responsibility to protect!

Click here to sign the petition.

Excerpt from the Code Pink Appeal to Congress:

“In the 1870s, Julia Ward Howe, appalled by the carnage of the Civil War, wrote a proclamation that gave birth to Mother’s Day. It said in part: ‘Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.’ She implored women around the world to gather together in counsel to seek ways to disarm.

“This Mother’s Day, we ask you, we beseech you, we implore you for the sake of our children, to stop funding further bloodshed and bring our troops home in 2007. Please heed the cries of women over the centuries who long for the embrace of loved ones sent off to battle. Commit to us that you will bring our soldiers home by the holidays.”

The website and newly published book entitled Not on Our Watch offers six strategies readers can implement to try to make a difference in the Darfur conflict:

1 Raise Awareness
2 Raise Funds
3 Write a Letter
4 Call for Divestment
5 Start an Organization
6 Lobby the Government

Each of these small actions can make a huge difference to those populations targeted for displacement or extinction in Darfur, Somalia, Congo, and northern Uganda.

Vistit the Not on Our Watch website for more information.

Your Inner Color is Blue

Your Personality: Your natural warmth and intuition nurtures those around you. You are accepting and always follow your heart. You in Love: Relationships are your top priority, and this includes love. You are most happy when you are serious with someone. Your Career: You need to help others in your job to feel satistifed. You would be a great nurse, psychologist, or counselor.

What’s Your Inner Color?

I recently received one of those Power Point presentations that’s flying around the Internet these days. It wasn’t a chain mail; it simply existed to try to bring about the realization that, despite all our moaning and groaning, we really do have it easy. In a nutshell, it presented the following scenario.

If you compare the world to a village of 100 inhabitants, there would be:

• 57 Asians
• 21 Europeans
• 14 Americans
• 8 Africans

• 52 women and 48 men
• 30 caucasians and 70 people of other ethnicities
• 70 non-Christians and 30 Christians
• 89 heterosexuals and 11 homosexuals
• 6 would have American nationality

• 80 would be homeless
• 70 would be illiterate
• 50 would be dependent on others for survival
• 1 would have a PC
• 1 would have a college degree
• 1 would be dying and 2 would be born
• 6 people would own 59% of the wealth

With regard to the world’s actual population:

• 500 million suffer from war, solitude or hunger
• 3 billion cannot practice their religion freely
• 75% of the world’s population does not have food, clothing or roofs over thier heads
• 2 billion cannot read
• 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water
• 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation facilities (read: no toilets)

I will think twice before the next time I complain.

In recognition of Global Darfur Day, I would direct you all to Tara Bradford’s post on Paris Parfait here. (Article from London’s Independent on Sunday)

GREAT STRIDES is the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation’s largest and most successful national fund-raising event. Cystic fibrosis is a devastating genetic disease that affects children and young adults. Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed now - more than ever - to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research. Too many young lives depend on this vital research to let it go unfunded!

My friend’s son, Nathaniel Brancazio, has the disease, and his family will participate in the walk in West Haven CT- The Grove at Savin Rock site on 05/20/2007. His mom, Dina, would appreciate any support you could offer, and you’ll feel confident in knowing that your generous gift is used efficiently and effectively: nearly 90 cents out of every dollar you contribute goes directly toward supporting research and specialized care that improves the quality of life for those with CF. And, it’s tax-deductible. Her information is at this address:

link:http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/DinaMoorerancazio

• Visit the CF Foundation Web Site

After nearly four years of violence, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and millions of fleeing refugees, how much longer can we stand by and watch Darfur self-destruct? Please join Bloggers for Darfur today to show your solidarity for the cause.