Darfur Consortium Events

The Ahueni Foundation, Tanzania

In Dar es Salaam the Global Day for Darfur was marked by a walk and vigil organized by the Ahueni Foundation.

Registered participants were given a leaflet with the background of the Darfur crisis and a t-shirt with the Global day for Darfur logo. Neema Siwingwa, Ahueni Foundation Director, led the participants with chants of “Don’t Look Away Now; Protect Darfur!”. Surrounded by local police and media fleets, participants looked united in matching t-shirts with some carrying picket boards reading “PROTECT DARFUR”, “UN TROOPS TO DARFUR NOW!”

At the Askari Monument, Suzyo Gwebe-Nyirenda read out a short background of the history of the Global Day for Darfur. Media television channels seized this opportunity to interview some of the spectators, participants and event organizers before the last leg of the walk commenced.

An hour after the start of the walk, participants entered the gates of the Gymkhana football grounds where they were welcomed by participants who had missed the walk and traditional North African music. Here, Neema Siwingwa spoke to onlookers about the Darfur conflict and the significance of the day. Special guest from the International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI), Dr. Yitiha Simbeye, spoke about the work of the Darfur Consortium, the international coalition and current developments in the peace process. This was followed by a reading of the names of famous African activists in support of the peace process, as well as female activists across the globe – at the end of this reading, the presenter, Hilda-Katie Nyirenda, inquired of the audience, “If they are, so why aren’t you?”.

The day was concluded by a candlelight vigil led by Suzyo Gwebe-Nyirenda and a 5-minute silence.