The horrors of war and genocide are virtually unimaginable to those of us who live far from the front lines and fault lines of violence and conflict.

To bring the tragedy of real-world genocide to the attention of the world and to encourage activism to stop the crisis in Darfur, a group of University Southern California students have created Darfur Is Dying, a project sponsored by mtvU and by the Reebok Human Rights Foundation.

This extraordinary online simulation has been designed to raise the consciousness of players about the realities of human suffering and the tragic consequences of violent conflict. Players are encouraged to spread the game virally by emailing it to their friends to encourage them to experience it for themselves.

For an online audio interview with the game’s creator, which aired yesterday on NPR, click here.

Technorati tags: virtual worlds, Culture and Society, Internet, online dispute resolution, conflict resolution