6/24/08

Ben Affleck's Journey to Congo on Nightline Airing June 26

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Ben Affleck's Personal Essay On His Travels Through The Congo To Understand The Humanitarian Crisis There, On ABC News' "Nightline"

Monday, June 23, 2008 -- Actor, writer, producer, director Ben Affleck has traveled to Africa's Congo region three times over the last eight months to understand one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. "Nightline" producer Max Culhane and photographer Doug Vogt joined Affleck on his most recent trip to document his journey as he made his way through refugee camps, hospitals, clinics, meetings with warlords, relief workers, child soldiers and members of parliament in an effort to better understand the place where more than four million people have died in the deadliest conflict since World War II.

Since 1998, a decade of fighting, combined with disease and starvation, has taken about 45,000 lives every month in Congo. As Affleck found in his travels, one in five children dies before reaching the age of five, and those who survive are often forced into serving as child soldiers for militia groups who continue to terrorize the population.

In explaining the mission of his travels and subsequent video essay for "Nightline," Affleck says: "Congo is in terrible shape. What's going on here in this country is humanitarian disaster. I think just helping people understand, that could have a real ripple effect down the road, and this piece will be one small incremental step in that.... People should see actors on television doing charitable work and be suspicious of that, and at the end of watching this, I hope they find themselves less suspicious of that and more interested in this and perhaps involved in it."

Ben Affleck's essay from the Congo airs on ABC News' "Nightline" THURSDAY, JUNE 26 at 11:35 p.m., ET/PT.

"Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Martin Bashir. John Donvan and Vicki Mabrey are correspondents. James Goldston is the executive producer. "Nightline" airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET/PT on the ABC Television Network.






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