On the evening of Tuesday, October 16, Harriton High School was honored to present guest speakers Carl Wilkens and Hawa Abdallah Muhammad Salih, two incredibly inspirational figures: living proof of the intense hatred and genocide that continue to engulf our world today. Both of these speakers faced unimaginable atrocities, experienced the true horrors of genocide, and traveled the world sharing stories of their firsthand experiences.

Carl Wilkens was the only American to remain in Rwanda during the genocide, and recently wrote a book about his experience entitled “I’m Not Leaving.” He also formed a non-profit organization, World Outside My Shoes, designed to encourage global awareness about genocide, and help put an end to it permanently.

The other speaker, Hawa Abdallah Muhammad Salih, is a survivor of the current genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. Hawa was voted one of the top ten bravest women in the world due to her role as human rights activist. Hawa has been arrested several times, and even sentenced to death, yet she continues to spread awareness about the genocide occurring today and inspire people around the world to take action.

These two speakers preach incredibly powerful messages that must not be overlooked. Awareness is the first step in achieving a significant goal, so as a school, we must come together to inform the remainder of the community about the incomprehensible tragedy of genocide. First we must start by realizing that this does involve us and we can make a difference. Carl Wilkens and Hawa Abdallah Muhammad Salih embody this message, and with the help of Harriton’s student-run organization Gems NOT Genocide, we have the power to make their endless fight against genocide worthwhile.