“AFGHAN AND AMERICAN STUDENTS 'SKYPE' IN TRIBUTE TO 9/11”

President Obama Proclaims Inaugural National Day of Community Service
Afghan and American Students “Talk” LIVE from School Built Entirely by “Pennies”

September 11, 2009—San Rafael, California—President Obama has proclaimed September 11, 2009, to be the Inaugural “National Day of Community Service and Remembrance” marking this year’s anniversary of the terror attacks in both Washington, D.C. and New York City. American students will gather at Roots of Peace World Headquarters located at 1299 Fourth Street, Suite 200, San Rafael, California on September 10, 2009 at 8:00 PM to “SKYPE” the Afghan students on their morning of September 11, 2009.  MEDIA IS INVITED TO ATTEND. Candid questions will be discussed, as the Afghan students wake in early hours of Ramadan 9/11.

In response to The President’s “call to action” to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion by volunteering and leaving a positive legacy, Roots of Peace will launch the 6th Anniversary of their Penny Campaign as thousands of students have raised over 30 million “pennies” to build/refurbish schools and soccer fields in Afghanistan since the inception of this initiative launched September 11, 2003, in Marin County, California. Since then, students from the U.K., Italy, France, Canada, Australia, Mexico, and the U.A.E. have joined American students to raise funds for desks, libraries, soccer jerseys, balls, water fountains and other educational tools we take for granted.

The Afghan students who will SKYPE are from the Mir Botcha Kot School—on the former frontline of The Taliban—located north of Kabul in the fertile agricultural region of the Shamali Plains. Roots of Peace raised funds to remove the landmines and UXO’s to help students walk home safely. “There were only 50 students studying beneath a tent in the blazing hot sun when we met these young Afghan students in August 2005,” says Kyleigh Kühn, age 22, who is co-founder of the Roots of Peace Penny Campaign. “Today, the attendance has expanded to 250 boys and girls who are able to comfortably study in classrooms and play soccer due to the volunteer efforts of hundreds of students, community volunteers and organizations who have helped restore childhood dreams. This school was built entirely by 'pennies' which demonstrates hope and change in action!”

Today, it is estimated that 44.6% of the population in Afghanistan is under the age of 14 years old. See www.rootsofpeace.org to join the Roots of Peace Penny Campaign.

1299 Fourth Street, Suite 200 San Rafael, CA 94901 • Tel: 415.455.8008 • www.rootsofpeace.org