GLENDALE — The Armenian National Committee of America, Glendale (ANCA-Glendale) in conjunction the Hoover High School Associated Student Body hosted a “Camp Darfur” exhibit on the grounds of Herbert Hoover High. Camp Darfur is an interactive awareness and educational event that brings attention to the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and gives students the opportunity to discover their ability and power to make a difference. The students also held a Human Rights Assembly on the same day, bringing to light injustices faced around the world by people of various backgrounds.
The traveling refugee camp raises awareness and examines Sudan’s Darfur region and its humanitarian crisis – genocide – by placing it in an historical context with Armenia, the Holocaust, Cambodia, and Rwanda. Camp Darfur empowers students to raise their voices and take action against inhumanity and injustice..
“In a time where genocide education is critical for our students, not just in a historical perspective but for development of well rounded, compassionate, human beings, This exhibit is vital for our students growth and ultimately a better world ” stated ANCA Glendale Chairman Zareh Adjemian.
The program is a completely student led initiative; as it allows students to take part in peer-to-peer interaction and places them at the forefront of the educational process. The exhibit will give hundreds of students the opportunity learn, reflect, and address these mass atrocities and why they continue to happen.
Hoover High Teacher and Associated Student Body (ASB) Advisor Edgar Stepanian stated, “With the exhibit and Human Rights assembly held today, we had two goals; the first was to educate our students about hardships people face all over the world and the second goal is to make them active participants for positive change. Their ability to handle these topics with such insight and maturity is a testament to our educational process and the wonderful teachers we have supporting it.”
“These inclusive and holistic methods of education are imperative for students to see these issues outside of a personal prism and to connect these issues together and in the process become actively engaged for change” stated ANC Education Council Chair Suzana Sahakian.
The ANCA-Glendale advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.