Martin Luther King III

April 4th Revisited: Saving Lives, Building Dreams!

April 4^th, 2012 marks the 44^th anniversary of the assassination of my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This final act was intended to silence his voice and opposition to violence. However, Dr. King's dream of peace continues to gain followers and adherence to his vision around the world. For the first time in our history, we are joining forces and declaring April 4^th a national day for youth peace and non-violence. We are celebrating the message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by hosting an event focused on youth violence prevention as a public health issue.

On April 4^th I will stand with other community leaders, youth groups, public health specialists and activists to champion this worthy cause. Appropriately entitled “April 4^th Revisited: Saving Lives, Building Dreams,” this forum will set a precedent for a nationwide collaboration around a topic of major concern for all. The event will occur at The Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

According to the CDC, youth violence continues to be a serious public health problem that plagues the nation’s inner-cities. Disturbing levels of violence, school failure and incarceration plague poor and working class neighborhoods in cities large and small. This forum will include a series of panel discussions to:

1) Elevate the awareness of youth violence prevention as a major national priority;

2) Launch a national urban focus during the summer of 2012 to save lives of children and youth in highly impacted urban neighborhoods; and

3) Establish a broad based national movement for Community Peace and Thriving Youth. The initiative is designed to build momentum over a 2 year period for a national movement for safe, educated and healthy children. Every Child Deserves a Chance.

This event is a collaboration between the Martin Luther King III Institute for Social Justice & Human Rights, Inc. (The King Institute)and the Prevention Institute (UNITY). UNITY is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in part by The Kresge Foundation.