ALA Council urges greater attention for Darfur genocide

Contact: Larra Clark
ALA Media Relations Manager
312-280-5043
For Immediate Release
October 24, 2006

ALA Council urges greater attention for Darfur genocide

(CHICAGO)
The American Library Association (ALA) Council has adopted a resolution urging the profession-at-large and ALA units to highlight information about genocide in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

ALA CD #50 states:

  • Over the past three years between 180,000 and 400, 000 civilians have been killed in the Darfur region of Sudan, 2,000,000 people have been displaced, 2,000 villages have been burned and their wells poisoned, and women of all ages have been raped by government-supported Janjaweed militias;

  • This first genocide of the 21st century could be slowed, if not ended, by an aware and aroused public in the United States and elsewhere;

  • The media, including library publications and websites have not sufficiently raised awareness and knowledge of this issue; and
  • It is the mission of American libraries to contribute actively to informing and educating citizens on public issues.

The ALA urges the profession to highlight and explain the Darfur Genocide through collections, programs, displays, resource guides and other suitable library resources. The ALA also calls upon publishers to actively seek and publish materials at lay and scholarly levels to add to public understanding of Darfur and other genocidal conflicts.

The 182-member ALA governing body voted passed ALA CD#50 on June 27, 2006, at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans. To read the full document, please visit the ALA Web site at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceb/council/councildocuments


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