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American Morning
International Human Rights Organization Madre will Stage New York Benefit Performance
Aired November 30, 2001 - 09:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Since September 11th, America has been united in the spirit of giving, and that generosity extends to those a world away, to women and children in Afghanistan.
On December 10th, the International Human Rights Organization Madre will stage a New York benefit featuring a variety of performers in a program called "Mother Courage, Imagining Peace." Actor Danny Glover will lend his voice. He joins me now, along with Vivian Stromberg, director of Madre.
Good to have the two of you with us.
DANNY GLOVER, ACTOR: Good morning.
ZAHN: Good morning.
Tell us a little bit about the goal of the evening and where the money will go once the money is raised.
GLOVER: Well, part of the goal of the evening is to expand the dialogue about what's happening in Afghanistan, and to provide people with critical information as well. And also the money will go to several organizations, firstly RAMWA -- revolutionary -- excuse me the Revolutionary Assocation of Women of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Network of Women, so several organizations. We've been doing groundwork, been on the ground doing work, even before September 11th.
ZAHN: And the idea is that you really want this money to go directly to the women in Afghanistan, right, Vivian? What are you doing to cut all those barriers?
VIVIAN STROMBERG, DIRECTOR, MADRE: We will go directly, Madre has since 1983 worked directly in women in communities, in countries in conflict situations, supporting the programs that those women have determined are important for the sustainable development of their communities, and for the development of their own ability to participate effectively in their communities and in leadership and decision-making position.
So we work directly with community-based organizations, and we listen and learn from them, and we offer support directly to them.
ZAHN: Now, Danny, your an actor time whose time is extremely valuable, and I know every charity wants your help in some way, and I know you have been passionate about human rights for many years now. Why this issue? Why the women of Afghanistan? What has touched you personally?
GLOVER: Well, certainly, I've gone to several events in the country where women from various organization have spoken, in San Francisco or here in New York. And I think -- it's amazing, because women play the essential role in the forming any kind of reconstruction of any country as devastated as Afghanistan has been. So the knowledge that women and children are most affected by war, if you look at the rates of malnutrition, 70 percent of the people in Afghanistan don't have enough to eat, undernourished, but if you look at the situation, in terms of just how it effects women and children in any situation. But they are the basis and the foundation of establishing a very wholesome, a very Democratic, a very participatory Democracy, and bringing life to a new situation, a new country.
ZAHN: What is the level of interest -- I would assure with Danny involved with the fund-raiser pretty high, but in the issue in general, particularly from the folks who might show up at the fund- raiser?
STROMBERG: I think there's a huge interest in learning about women from all over the world, and I think that there's been a very deliberate attempt to keep that information from us. I think that the response from not only our membership, but from people who are learning about "Mother Courage" and "Imagining Peace" and "December 10th," there is a very eager spirit, and eagerness to learn more and to enter into a dialogue to try to understand, and there are lessons from history. We will be doing readings from Martin Luther King, from (UNINTELLIGIBLE), from Pablo Navulo (ph). There are lessons from around the world and throughout history that can us understand what is happening in Afghanistan.
ZAHN: Besides, you are going to be reading that night on December 10th. Who else will participate?
GLOVER: Susan Sarandon.
ZAHN: We know her.
GLOVER: Susie Sanchez (ph) will be participating, and...
STROMBERG: Gale Jackson, Eve Ensler.
GLOVER: I mean, it's just going to be quite an extraordinary evening.
But I think what Vivian is saying is that sometimes the role of women in what happens in forming communities and the work that they do goes almost unnoticed to some degree. You know, and particularly now in a moment of crisis, women are going to be will be very, very important in restructuring and finding a new direction for the country of Afghanistan.
ZAHN: And I think what many people find so encouraging there was representation -- or is, by women in Bonn right now, as the faint outlines of a tentative government being worked out.
GLOVER: Well, Imagine 50 percent of the women -- students at Kabul University were women; 40 percent the women in Afghanistan were doctors. You know, so it's -- I mean, they've played an essential role before September 11th, even before the takeover by the Taliban. And they need to play, and it's essential that they play this role, again, in the rebuilding of society.
ZAHN: Well, it is such a pleasure to see you in person for a change. Always enjoyed you on film. He new film coming out in a couple of weeks in a coming of weeks, so look forward to seeing that.
Vivian Stromberg, good luck.
STROMBERG: Thank you very much.
ZAHN: It's December 10th again, right.
STROMBERG: December 10th.
ZAHN: And where?
STROMBERG: And people can reach us at Madre office in New York City.
ZAHN: M-A-D-R-E.
STROMBERG: M-A-D-R-E.
ZAHN: Pretty easy to find.
Good luck you both. You're heading off to the U.N.
GLOVER: Yes.
ZAHN: Good luck with your discussions later today.
Again, thank you for your time this morning. We know how busy both of you are.
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