ALAS was born from the political concerns of graduate students at American University in Washington, D.C. We didn’t know where or how to begin. All we had was a clear will and a deep need to be active agents of social and political change on the international stage. The challenge was—and still is—immense. Our first steps were to support the families of political prisoners and vulnerable communities in totalitarian contexts. That initial exchange reaffirmed and fueled the essence of ALAS: to help and give a voice to the disadvantaged.
ALAS has grown and matured. Its members have come to understand the magnitude of the commitment and the weight of the responsibility. New faces and ideas have joined as the organization defines itself, strengthens its purpose, and gathers resources and projects for peace and development. Today, ALAS is a diverse and inclusive group of students, aid workers, artists, academics, and diplomats walking together on the path of inclusion, reconciliation, and democratization. Our mission is to explore and implement international cooperation for peace and development for all.
The founders of ALAS know the terror we have witnessed and endured firsthand. Experience and pain have transformed into forgiveness, and a commitment to helping others finds resolution through reconciliation for peace and a deep reverence for freedom, equity, and human dignity.
At ALAS, we want our brothers and sisters, fellow citizens of humanity, to no longer suffer under the oppression of underdevelopment and the suppression of individual freedoms—ills that find their cure in democracy and justice. International solidarity and cooperation are the most effective means to bring a century of technological and sociopolitical advancements to all and extend all freedoms to everyone everywhere.
The full equality and freedom of all men and women, including guarantees for their social, political, and economic rights, guide our efforts to protect minorities, activists, communities, and individuals—especially those facing oppression and injustice.
Democratic institutions are perhaps the greatest legacy of humanity’s progress toward complete freedom. While we recognize the uniqueness of local, national, and regional histories and cultures—and precisely because of this—we advocate for equitable access to political power, freedom of expression, freedom of association and press, accountability, civic education, and the institutions that uphold these principles.
At ALAS, we defend the human right to choose where and how to live. We recognize migrants as models of individual values and remain attentive and concerned about the new vulnerabilities arising from political and populist manipulations. ALAS provides humanitarian aid, promotes social integration, and protects migrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking.
Inclusive dialogue, negotiation under conditions of equality and justice pave the way for peace and reconciliation. ALAS is committed to building bridges for social understanding, lasting and negotiated peace, and the realization of human potential through freedom extended at all levels of society.
