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WHEREAS, John Prendergast is a human rights activist, author, documentary producer and a visiting professor who has worked for peace in Africa for over 25 years; and,
WHEREAS, co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity with the Center for Human Progress, John Prendergast launched the Satellite Sentinel Project with George Clooney which aims to prevent conflict and human rights abuses through satellite imagery and has also co-founded the Darfur Dream Team to fund schools in Darfurian refugee camps and create partnerships with schools in the United States with Tracy McGrady and other NBA stars. In addition, he launched the Raise Hope for Congo Campaign which highlights the issue of conflict minerals that fuel the war there and Sudan Now which focuses on bringing peace to the Sudan , all under the Project Enough umbrella; and,
WHEREAS, John Prendergast has produced documentaries and consulted on scripts for movies and television shows and is the author or co-author of ten books of fiction and non-fiction on topics such as Sudan, Africa, human rights and his experience as a Big Brother and has been on the New York Times Bestseller List; and,
WHEREAS, John Prendergast has worked for the Clinton White House, the Department of State, two members of Congress, the National Intelligence Council, UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group and the U.S. Institute of Peace; and,
WHEREAS, returning to his Pittsburgh roots where his paternal grandfather immigrated from Ireland and worked as a steelworker and his maternal grandfather immigrated from Ireland and established Mansmann's Department Store in East Liberty and where his parents met and married, John is a Visiting Fellow at the Ford Institute for Human Security at the University of Pittsburgh from February 21 to March 4 and will participate in a film series, a lecture as a guest of the Ford Institute, a lecture at the World Affairs Council and a dinner and discussion with the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize and commend John Prendergast for his remarkable efforts to bring awareness to the world's human rights violations and for a career filled with solutions, actions and hope; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare March 2, 2011 to be "JOHN PRENDERGAST DAY" in the City of Pittsburgh.