David Rosenberg, PDEC Coordinator

PDEC would like to thank everyone who contributed to Saturday's march and rally for Darfur, as well as the Sunday follow-up events. Despite the drizzle, people's spirits were high. The turnout was pegged at around 450 by the news, but the rapid exhaustion of the 400 peacekeeper hats, which had to be supplemented by many berets, and the 400 people (exactly) who signed the petition in favor of House Bill 1140, The Sudan Divestment Act, suggest that we may have started with 550 or more at the top of the Hill and, despite the rain and chill, probably retained 500 or so for the Rally.

News coverage included: an advance in the Post Gazette on Saturday morning by Erv Dyer (who had also written a detailed story at the beginning of April about upcoming Darfur events in Pittsburgh), a KQV interview with Congressman Mike Doyle Saturday morning, some footage of the gathering marchers at Freedom Corner by KDKA, Channel 2, and Rally coverage in both major Pittsburgh newspapers, the Post-Gazette and the Tribune Review. Coverage in the New Pittsburgh Courier is expected later this week.

We benefited from some wonderful speakers, including members of the Sudanese community
in Pittsburgh, and some wonderful music which kept people focused and energized throughout the drizzle. Dan Frankel was there to represent, as a cosponsor, the recently introduced HB 1140 to Divest Pa state retirement and other funds; and, as mentioned, four hundred people signed the divestment petition on the spot. [The petition is now downloadable from our website www.pittsburghdarfur.org] The tents we had set up,as a rainy day precaution -- thanks, Necia! -- were actually mobbed as people signed the divestment petitions. Additionally 507 of our new "Overdue Notice" color postcards addressed to President Bush were signed and turned in to Global Solutions Pittsburgh. We sold out on some sizes of the rally T-shirts and a total of $2,148 was raised at the event.

The support of the Save Darfur Coalition was invaluable. In addition to the paraphernalia (the four hundred "Peacekeeper Now hats"-- which provided welcome cover against the rain, the banners, hourglasses, and flyers), we had the pleasure and honor of welcoming two very eloquent speakers brought to Pittsburgh courtesy of the national coalition : Ambassador Lawrence Rossin, the SDC's senior international coordinator, and Mohammed Yahya, a Massaleit native of Darfur and founder of the Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy. They brought both passion and important perspectives to the day.

We were also tremendously benefited by a Global Days grant from the Save Darfur Coalition, which helped us with many costs connected with the promotion and execution of the weekend's events and by the support of local sponsors/partners: religious, student, and non-profit who donated funds and in-kind. Two of these deserve special mention: Global Solutions Pittsburgh, our dependable and indispensable ally, and the American Jewish Committee, which made a generous donation and whose office suite is regularly made available to us for coalition meetings.

All of the speakers -- Congressman Mike Doyle, Councilman Bill Peduto, NAACP Pittsburgh Branch President M. Gayle Moss, Hilary Chiz of United Steelworkers Local 3657, and student leaders Alana Rudkin, John Joyce, and Nessa French as well as all of the great musicians and performers made outstanding contributions to the event, and we thank them all for their participation and commitment to the cause! Statements of support were sent in by Senators Casey and Specter and Leo Gerard, President of the United Steelworkers union.

Sunday's events were also successful. Alexa Malishchak, Field Organizer for the Sudan Divestment Taskforce assigned to Pennsylvania, came in from Philadelphia to lead two workshops on divestment at the state, college and university, and private fund levels. Her visit
was informative and inspiring. Rabbi Jamie Gibson of Temple Sinai led an Interfaith Gathering in the evening, which brought together music and prayers from the traditions of Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths to remind us of our common ties and prepare us to act to save Darfur.

This was a weekend in which, as a result of the hard work of many people, Pittsburgh really "stepped up" to play its part in the widening global outcry to Save Darfur Now. We mustn't slacken. Divest PA and other goals are in our sights. Keep the petitions and postcards rolling.