Students put their work up for auction at the Art for Darfur humanitarian event Friday evening in Meadows. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

Darfur has been in a state of humanitarian emergency since 2003. It is located in Sudan, one of the largest countries in Africa. However, Sudan has been in a civil war for the past 28 years. So how is it that nobody knows about the true catastrophes that take place there day to day?

Rape, genocide, exile and slavery are some of the few crimes against humanity that have become a standard for people in Darfur.

“Most of the victims are women and children,” Dr. Rick Halperin, director of SMU’s Human Rights Education Program, said. “The plague of violence seems to go on in Sudan without any media surveillance on it.”

SMU’s organization Students For a Better Society held “Art For Darfur” Friday night in Meadows hoping to raise awareness about the issues.

The night consisted of a silent auction of artwork by SMU students and two human rights speakers.

Paulette Cooper, a volunteer from the Dallas Peace Center, spoke about her experiences while visiting Darfur in 2008.

She spoke with tears in her eyes as she described her life-changing encounter with a 14-year-old girl.

All it took was one picture to make many in the room cry: a picture of this 14 year old in shackles.

“She wanted to go to school and her dad wanted her to marry his 53-year-old friend,” Cooper said. “When you are standing with this kid who is crying because she can’t go to school, it leaves a mark on your soul.”

Dr. Halperin spoke at the event as well. He urged people to “serve as human rights advocators” and warned everyone that, “when you do nothing the status quo continues.”

After hearing both Dr. Halperin and Cooper speak, Ali Anwar, a member of Students For a Better Society, was touched by the event.

“I think that more people need to get involved with things like this,” she said. “Turning your back on human beings is unforgivable. All it takes is being a part of something like this.”

Tears, artwork and words of inspiration were all shared by the end of the night. However, Cooper’s statement that, “one person always makes a difference” sparked inspiration in the minds of all who were present.