Date: Apr 23, 2010

Hofstra Students Participate in Refugee Campus

Students Take ‘Human Action’ on Human Rights

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Human Action, a new student group at Hofstra University, organized Refugee Campus, a week-long event from April 26-30, 2010 during which students, faculty and community members camp out for four nights and five days to bring attention to the plight of refugees around the world.  WRHU will do a live broadcast from the Calkins Quad on Monday from 7-9 a.m. as the refugee camp gets underway.

Participants will learn about the struggles of the world’s refugees from guest speakers, events and performances. Speakers include refugees from Burma and Darfur, Carl Wilkens, the only American witness to the Rwandan genocide, Sean Carasso who is the founder of Falling Whistles, which is a campaign for peace in the Congo and a Hunger Banquet where Jean Kelly, the Executive Director of the Interfaith Nutrition Network will speak about feeding poverty stricken families on Long Island.

"It is imperative for Hofstra students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community to realize there is a whole other world outside our own comfortable one that is full of displaced persons who do not receive the care that we do here in the United States,” said President of Human Action group, Josh Gwin, who is a junior at Hofstra.  “This event is 'in your face', demanding attention to the shocking truths happening all around the world."

Hofstra Human Action’s goal is to raise awareness and funds for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  The UNHCR is providing tents for the members participating in the movement. Visit refugeecampus.com for more information about the event and a complete schedule.  

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services;  and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.