STAND Canada
Ontario, Canada
ABOUT
STAND Canada advocates to make preventing and ending genocide a cornerstone of Canadian foreign and domestic policy. We are dedicated to providing Canadians with the advocacy and educational tools that they need to take action toward a world without genocide.
Since it was founded in 2005, STAND has become the leading organization in Canada for youth-led anti-genocide activism. Our political action is focused by four themes: the protection of marginalized peoples, government and corporate responsibility, Indigenous rights, and youth activism and leadership.
HISTORY
During the peak of genocide in Darfur, a group of concerned students at Western University joined together to raise awareness and advocate for action in Darfur. Shortly thereafter, STAND (originally Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) was founded when Dr. Alcol Dor, a South Sudanese refugee, gave a stirring speech on Darfur to a national student leadership conference organized by the Canadian Federation of Jewish Students.
These student leaders realized that while there were many NGOs doing important work on the ground in Darfur, there was no one mobilizing Canadians to create the political will necessary to make acting against genocide a foreign policy priority. After the conference, STAND launched its first campaign, “10 000 Voices”. A petition containing 12 000 signatures was presented at a press conference on Parliament Hill, which led to STAND members meeting then-Prime Minister Paul Martin.
In the summer of 2008, STAND’s managing committee made a strategic decision – STAND moved from being a student-based Darfur advocacy group to a youth focused anti-genocide organization fighting towards the goal of a world without genocide.
Since its founding in 2005, STAND has become the leading organization in Canada for youth-led anti-genocide advocacy, with a diverse membership base and chapters from coast-to-coast. STAND has been featured in The National Post, The Toronto Star, The Ottawa Citizen, The Toronto Sun, and various other publications. STAND members have been featured on CTV News, Global News, MTV Canada, MuchMusic, CBC Radio and numerous other radio and television news programs.
STAND’s ability to successfully operate is entirely due to the commitment and devotion of its exceptional volunteers and donors.