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Tents of Hope

Order Tents of Hope advocacy postcards and other campaign materials.

In IDP camps in Darfur, cramped 10-foot-by-12-foot tents are used to house people forced from their homes by intense violence. But painted with bright colors and messages, a tent can become a symbol of peace and hope. That is the thinking behind Tents of Hope, a collaborative project taken up by UUSC's Drumbeat for Darfur campaign.

Started by the United Church of Christ and coordinated by Tim Nonn, Tents of Hope gives people the chance to respond as a community to the crisis in Darfur by creating tents that are both unique works of art and ongoing focal points for learning about, assisting, and establishing relationships with the people of Darfur. The tents are not answers in themselves. Rather, they are points of entry for more concrete forms of Darfur advocacy. People of all ages can help decorate the tents, while bringing attention to the plight of Darfurians and building support to end the Darfur genocide.


"For refugees, the tent is a symbol of loss. Every time they come back to their tents, they are reminded of what they used to have, what was taken from them, and their longing to return home. Yet, even though the tent represents loss, [refugees] immediately humanize their situation by creating new life. In the camps in Chad, this is most obvious from the fences and screens they build around their tents with sticks and grass and the little plots they scratch out next to their tents to grow vegetables. Loss and hope exist side by side. This is not only true for uprooted people from Darfur: it is the human condition. Our ability to create and sustain hope in the presence of loss — even enormous loss — is one of humanity's most exalted characteristecs."

—Jerry Fowler, executive director,
Save Darfur Coalition

We believe that UUSC's work to protect women and girls in Darfur is strengthened and deepened by the work that local activists do in their community to educate others and advocate for the people of Darfur, particularly on the issue of gender-based violence. Tents of Hope is a great opportunity to involve your community in learning more about Darfur, while doing something that is creative, hopeful, and meaningful.

The possibilities of this program are endless, and it is a great activity for people of all ages.

Between now and November 2008, Drumbeat for Darfur activists can participate in Tents of Hope by:

  1. Decorating/painting a tent in your community with images and messages of hope.
  2. Participating in advocacy work by signing Drumbeat for Darfur "tent cards."
  3. Educating your community about the lives of women in the camps, including how to weave a web of protection for them.
  4. Organizing a speaker or film presentation in your community.
  5. Organizing a fundraising event or effort to support UUSC's humanitarian work in Darfur.

Visit our Tents of Hope resources page for tips on how to start this project and educational materials to download and share with your community.

Order Drumbeat for Darfur materials, including posters, postcards, and t-shirts.

Click here for details on making your Tent of Hope!

Please let us know your plans.

Dates to remember


May 2 — Holocaust Remembrance Day
May 11 — Mother's Day (to support women in the camps)
June 20 — World Refugee Day
June 25-July 4 — Olympic Trials in Oregon (West Coast action)
August 8 — Opening day of 2008 Olympic Games
September 21 — U.N. International Day of Peace

November 7-9 — Tents of Hope gathering and rally on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

For more information or if you have any questions, please e-mail the Tents of Hope team or call us at 617-301-4392.

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