Spana to support the UNHCR Darfur concert
05 December 2004
SPANA, the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, is delighted to help the United Nations High Commission for Refugees raise awareness of the Refugee Voices for Darfur concert to be held at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 8th December 2004. It will feature a star-studded line-up of performers, all happy to give of their time to raise funds for one of the worst humanitarian disasters to face the world today. Artists include guitaritst John Williams, Sir Willard White , Ruthie Henshall and Alison Moyet in a programme devoted mainly to the music of Cole Porter. More than 1.8 million people are affected by the continuing crisis in the North Darfur region of the Sudan.SPANA is already on the ground in the Sudan, spearheading an emergency programme to save what remains of the dwindling number of working animals in North Darfur. These animals, mainly donkeys, are crucial to the survival of these people, who are refusing to leave the refugee camps and return to their homes without the animals so vital for rebuilding their lives. They are essential for carrying water and firewood and for ploughing the fields. They are truck and taxi to the families who own them, but they're being allowed to die of starvation and disease, or are being stolen.
SPANA has already sent in an emergency consignment of fodder and veterinary supplies and has hired a building for storage over the winter months. It is also providing funding and veterinary care to support the promotion of animal welfare as part of the animal loan scheme being run by the charity Kids4Kids in the Sudan. An important part of SPANA's work in the area is the training and equipping a group of paravets to take on the role of community animal health workers to provide basic veterinary care such as worming and inoculating the animals. Negotiations are in progress to explore the possibility of running this training programme in the long term.
Funds will be raised by ticket sales from the concert and online donations and the event will also be released on CD and DVD. The Refugee Voices for Darfur concert is scheduled for 7:30pm on Wednesday 8th December at London's Royal Albert Hall.
For More Information - Simon Pope - Head of Communications, SPANA - 020 7629 2689 or 07811 404 874
Or email simon@spana.org