WORLD BRIDGE BLOG

Far from the traditional halls of power, Refugees International hosted our 7th annual Jackson Hole Circle event last week at the Shooting Star Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming; our most successful circle event of all time. Her Majesty Queen Noor headlined a compelling program that also featured RI Senior Advocate Elizabeth Campbell and our board chair Eileen Shields-West as the master of ceremonies. For me it was especially gratifying to see 190 people in Jackson take time out of their lives to come listen to the plight of Iraqi refugees and to take concrete action to alleviate their struggle.

As a lifelong resident of Wyoming, it is often difficult to feel included in world events or to feel that it’s possible to have an impact from such a distance. Along with long-time RI friend Cindee George, RI staff and fellow board members Peta Roubin and Sandi Tully – who live part-time in Jackson – have spent many years sharing our passion and concern for helping the most desperate people in the world. For the last 7 years we have highlighted a different crisis that is a focus of Refugees International’s work. Every year we are gratified by the informed and committed folks who attend these events.

This year’s event highlighted the continuing plight of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. What resonated most to the members of the audience was the personal witness of Elizabeth Campbell‘s unprecedented access to neighborhoods near Baghdad and in other areas in Iraq and the remarkable video footage that captured the conditions for displaced Iraqi’s living in squatter camps. The tenacity of RI’s team, going unescorted into neighborhoods that have never seen members of the UN or other NGO’s and not even representatives of the U.S. military except with armed escorts, showed the unique commitment of Refugee International advocates. The stories of families living in squatter settlements with no access to services of any kind, along with images of children, 40 percent of whom have no access to schooling, compelled the audience to act.

The most remarkable act of the evening came from a friend in Jackson, Foster Friess. Foster paid close attention to the entire presentation and asked probing questions during the Q & A. At the close of questions he stood and said he was so impressed with the model of action that we champion and the fact that we accept no funds from the government or the UN, that he would triple all donations made that evening to RI up to $100,000. We were thrilled and gratified and began to accept donations from the many folks who participated. From donations of $25 to $10,000 we collected more than $34,000 from audience members and were able to receive the total $100,000 challenge. These funds will go so far in enabling advocacy on behalf of people who very often have no voice.

Photo cred: ©Swope’s Mountain Photography