Jon Snow lends support to London-based charity Sandblast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) September 22, 2011 -- In a recent statement made to London-based Sandblast charity, journalist Jon Snow highlights the serious lack of media attention given to the conflict in Western Sahara and supports its awareness-raising "Run the Sahara 2012” campaign, launching on October 1st at Riverside Studios.

The event aims to get people involved in running in long distance races in the Algerian Sahara, where close to 200,000 Saharawis have been displaced from Western Sahara for over 35 years and live in four large refugee camps. Funds raised through sponsorship will help support Sandblast's Studio-Live project, a music empowerment initiative being set up in the refugee camps to give artists opportunities to develop professionally and reach international audiences through music.

Jon Snow, whose first international story involved reporting on Western Sahara back in 1976, believes the situation must be better known to get the support it deserves.

"The plight of the people of the Western Sahara, whose land was illegally occupied after the Spanish colonisers left in 1975, is one of the most under-reported of our time….the struggle for self-determination has gone largely without word in the Western media. This is an issue we need to know about and to understand, if anything is to be done to bring relief to the Saharawi people." Jon Snow, Channel 4

The launch will feature the screening of award-winning documentary El Problema followed by a Q&A with filmmaker, Pablo Vidal and Rabab Amidane, a young human rights activist from Western Sahara. The programme will also include selected readings of Saharawi writings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams and a preview of the forthcoming documentary “The Runner”, a film that has received endorsements from Ken Loach and John Pilger. Participants who have joined Run the Sahara, in previous years, will share their stories and experiences and give audiences a chance to find out more about the event, taking place next February, near Tindouf in SW Algeria.

EVENT DETAILS -
When: Saturday October 1st, 3pm – 5.50pm.
Programme: 3-4.40pm El Problema screening and Q&A; 4.50-5.50pm readings by Inua Ellams, The Runner preview and testimonials
Where: Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London W6 9RL
Contact: sandblastarts@yahoo.co.uk or call 07838463310

Information and details on how to register to join Run the Sahara 2012 are available on our website. For any enquiries please contact run-the-sahara@sandblast-arts.org

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