World poker champion Annie Duke and actor Don Cheadle are teaming up to host the 3rd annual Ante Up for Africa celebrity-charity poker tournament in Las Vegas, which will benefit Enough and Refugees International and, in turn, contribute to ending the cycle of violence that has long plagued Sudan.
Ante Up for Africa will take place on July 2nd as part of the World Series of Poker. The line-up of high-profile players is taking shape, and this year’s event promises to be another excellent occasion for raising awareness about the myriad challenges facing Sudan today, as well as an opportunity to raise the funds to provide lifesaving support to some of the millions of people displaced by the fighting. ESPN will cover the tournament, and all players are asked to donate half of their winnings to Ante Up for Africa.
Some of this year’s notable players include: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, Rob Schneider, Hank Azaria, Marlon Wayans, Tia Carrere, Brad Garrett, Cedric The Entertainer, Sarah Silverman, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, and Danny Masterson.
As Darfur’s humanitarian crisis continues, and the 2005 peace agreement that ended the war between the North and the South threatens to collapse, attention to Sudan is urgently needed. It will take a dynamic international effort to move beyond simply managing Sudan’s multiple crises and forge a lasting and equitable peace for all of Sudan that ensures genuine power-sharing, and the United States must be at the forefront of these efforts. Events like Ante Up for Africa are important for keeping the Sudan’s crises in the spotlight while also contributing to the relief efforts that help to alleviate the day-to-day hardships.
To learn more about Ante Up for Africa and sign up to play, visit our special page.