With the referendum for South Sudan’s independence mere months away, the U.S. and the international community must work together to hold all sides accountable and to prevent renewed civil unrest in the region. In recent weeks, the Obama administration has raised its level of attention and leadership on the issue – this is good news and must continue now that the stakes are higher than ever. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk, so vigilance and robust diplomacy are essential to stop a civil war before it starts.
This week a delegation of Sudanese Catholic and Episcopalian bishops will arrive in the United States to call attention to the tensions mounting in their country and provide their perspective on the situation on the ground. They are traveling to New York and Washington, D.C., bearing personal stories from their communities that attest to the volatility of Sudan today.
On Wednesday, October 20th, the delegation will join the greater Washington D.C. faith community for “Voices from Sudan: An Interfaith Event with Sudanese Bishops and Religious Leaders.” At a service led by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith leaders, people of diverse backgrounds will lift one voice to offer hope and support for the people of Sudan. Together, we will call upon world leaders to hear our prayer for peace, and to stand in unity with our Sudanese brothers and sisters in their time of gravest need.
The Interfaith Sudan Working Group, a coalition of national Christian, Jewish, and Muslim denominational and faith-based organizations working for a peaceful Sudan, will host the event. It will be held at Adas Israel Congregation (2850 Quebec Street, NW, next to the Cleveland Park Metro station) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
To RSVP for the event, please e-mail to rsvp-dc[at]ajws.org. Questions can be directed to Dahlia Rockowitz at drockowitz[at]ajws.org.
Lily Hamburger works with American Jewish World Service.