Daily Nebraskan - 09/15/2006

Group embarks on cross-country trek against genocide - on foot
By: Erich Eisenach

It happened during the Nazi Holocaust in Europe and in Rwanda in the early 1990s. And it is happening again in Darfur.

Genocide.

Four speakers, with an unconventional method of travel, discussed the topic at a lecture on Thursday evening at the Terminal Building in downtown Lincoln. More than 30 people attended the event.

Hasmig Tatiossian, a New York University graduate student, and participant in the Journey for Humanity Project tour, said the preparations began long before June 20, when the speakers left from Los Angeles on a cross-country journey.

"More than two years ago, during our advisory board retreat, we came up with an idea, and started researching information, and last November we started working on logistics," Tatiossian said.

Vahe Abovian, the Journey for Humanity Project director, said she is proud to work on tour.

"It's a responsibility? as a human being - it's incumbent upon me to act," Abovian said.

The four speakers are taking this tour by foot - instead of riding in a car.

Asher Ball, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln sophomore news-editorial major, said the purpose of the project and speech was to spread awareness of the danger of genocide.

Tatiossian expressed similar sentiments.

"We want to spread the message to all society about this horrible crime (genocide) because every time it happens, it makes everyone victims," Tatiossian said.

Ball said that if he were to take action in response to genocide, he'd write letters to Republican Reps. Tom Osborne and Jeff Fortenberry.

The speakers influenced Ball in a positive way.

"I was really impressed," he said. "They knew their information really well, and they knew what they were talking about."

The next big stop on the tour is in Omaha.

"There is really power in walking," Abovian said. "Part of the walking is supposed to be reminiscent of deportation."

Source: Daily Nebraskan