This post was written by guest-blogger Hannah Weitzman.
WILD magazine recently published an article, “Champions of Peace”, highlighting Enough Project Co-founder John Prendergast and the scope of work that Enough does against genocide, mass atrocities, and crimes against humanity. WILD, an innovative new magazine, highlights the accomplishments of Prendergast, and the mission behind Enough's work: empowering activists to maintain pressure on international actors to find solutions for international conflicts and driving high-level political advocacy. The author, Lisbeth Meyers, writes:
“The Enough Project’s not-so-secret weapon is to harness pure people power as a tool for peace. The enterprise supports and mobilizes fledging and existing social movements to achieve meaningful changes in high-level government.”
Meyers’ article discusses the importance of the type of activism that the Enough Project encourages, specifically highlighting its relationships with students and faith-based groups. With campaigns like the Darfur Dream Team, which supports education for Darfuri refugees and raises awareness of the conflict in Darfur and Raise Hope for Congo, which builds a base of activists and advocates for the human rights of Congolese people in response to the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country, Prendergast emphasizes the importance of “pure people power” in the contigents of activists.
“Activism has become something that is much more a matter in choice and full of options for the average person.”
Measuring successes such as passed legislation prohibiting the use of conflict minerals in electronics and the support for an independent South Sudan, however, is only half the fight. Although these accomplishments are meaningful in respect to peace and security, there is still more work to be done, and no one at the Enough Project, especially John Prendergast, will stop until it’s achieved. Propelled by intense optimism and a never-ending frustration and anger for the crimes against humanity continuously harming the people of conflict regions, Prendergast reflects on his “WILD Wish”: to have no more work to do at Enough. If lasting peace and security in the Sudans and Congo are achieved, he says, the Enough Project would have nothing left on their agenda. He concludes: “…We can [then] all go home and I can be a sports writer for the Kansas City Star.”
Read the feature story on WILD Magazine.
Photo: John Prendergast (Kate Warren)