SWT launches first college campus signing of Stockholm Accords

Date of release: 10/30/01

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS Southwest Texas State University will become the site of the first college campus signing of the Stockholm Accords, initiated by Global Strategies International.

The Stockholm Accords, begun by Doug Tipps, senior pastor at San Marcos’First Baptist church, articulates the resolve of world citizens against ethnic cleansing. According to GSI, as many as 170 million people died from ethnic cleansing in the 20th century alone.

Ethnic cleansing is the “systematic annihilation or forced removal of the members of an ethnic, racial or religious group from a community or communities in order to change the ethnic, racial or religious composition of a given region.”

Forty-four leaders from various nations, religions and social action agencies gathered in Stockholm in Jannuary 2000 to write the document. The goal is to have 10 million people worldwide sign it as a statement of solidarity against hatred, and SWT was chosen to be the first college campus to sign the Accords, becoming a model for universities throughout the world.

The community is invited to the launching of the college campaign celebration dinner, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. Reservations must be made by Nov. 2. Tickets to the dinner are $50 per person payable to Global Strategies International. For more information or to make reservations, please call (512) 353-5924 or visit the GSI Web site at www.helpgsi.org.