Darfur Update – the Olympic protest

Dear tom,

Lopez Lomong was six years old when a militia group kidnapped him from a Sudanese church, determined to turn him into a child soldier.

He managed to escape and walk for three days to Kenya. He spent ten years in a refugee camp before finally immigrating to the U.S.

This year, Lopez will compete for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics. While at the games, he will join Team Darfur, an alliance of almost 400 athletes from around the world raising awareness about Darfur.

Send a message of support to Lopez and his fellow Team Darfur Olympians as they head to Beijing.

Lopez Lomong's story of courage and perseverance is an inspiration and a reminder. Thousands of Darfuri children, driven from their homes and fearing for their lives, deserve the chance to live lives of success and dignity in peace.

That's why the Save Darfur Coalition and Team Darfur are working to press world leaders to action.

And act they must. The Olympic Games can be a festival of good will, an opportunity for all nations to come together in a spirit of cooperation and common humanity. But tragically, China, the host of this year's games and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, isn't living up to these values. The Team Darfur Olympians are—let them know you stand with them.

Salute the Team Darfur athletes with a word of thanks and encouragement today.

The Team Darfur athletes are speaking out on the Olympic stage, showing incredible courage by advocating for the people of Darfur from the heart of China. Driven by the same determination that made them Olympians, these incredible athletes know that it is our resilience and resolve that will end this genocide.

Send them a message of support—and then forward this message to your friends and family and ask them to do the same.

Best regards,

Colleen Connors
Save Darfur Coalition

P.S. Check out the Darfur Olympics, daily alternative programming from August 8 through 15, the first week of the Olympics. Visit www.darfurolympics.org to learn more.

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