Raphael Lemkin
Although more than 60 years have passed since the Holocaust, its legacy continues to warn us about the perils of silence and the need to act. At Facing History and Ourselves, we are dedicated to empowering young people with this knowledge, in the hope that genocide prevention becomes a reality.
Elie Wiesel – Nobel Peace Prize winner, Auschwitz survivor, and author of Night – said before the UN General Assembly on the 60th Anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps:
“I am convinced if the world had listened to those of us who tried to speak, we may have prevented Darfur, Cambodia, Bosnia and naturally Rwanda…The question I have is: Will the world ever learn?”
In an exciting collaboration with the award-winning interview program and podcast series Voices on Genocide Prevention from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, we present three new podcasts featuring experts in the field of genocide prevention. The podcasts will consider the legacy of Raphael Lemkin, the individual who coined the word "genocide" in 1944; the politics of intervention; and the inspiring work of young anti-genocide activists today. This project was made possible by the generous support of Carolyn and Laurence Belfer.
In March, 2007, following each podcast, Facing History facilitated an online discussion with the featured scholars. Archives on these online discussions are available and open to the public.
PODCAST AND ONLINE DISCUSSION SCHEDULE
Considering the Legacy of Raphael Lemkin
March 8, 2007 [download now]
Archive of Online Discussion with Omer Bartov: March 12-13, 2007
The search for the term “genocide” began in 1921, when Raphael Lemkin realized that there was no law under which the perpetrators of massacres of the Ottoman Armenians could be prosecuted. Outraged, he embarked on a life-long quest to ensure that the deliberate mass murder of ethnic and religious groups would receive special recognition as an international crime. Given the historical context of this period, what could Lemkin have done? What precendents could he call upon? What has changed since Lemkin began his work? Our featured speaker is Omer Bartov, John P. Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European History at Brown University, one of the world's leading scholars on the history of genocide.
The Politics of Genocide Intervention
March 15, 2007 [download now]
Archive of Online Discussion with John Shattuck: March 19-20, 2007
We will examine the options that individuals and governments have when genocide or massive human rights violations are taking place. What tools can politicians employ? Our featured speaker is John Shattuck, former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and author of Freedom on Fire: Human Rights Wars of the 90's. Shattuck is currently CEO of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
Anti-Genocide Activists Today
March 22, 2007 [download now]
Archive of Online Discussion with Rebecca Hamilton: March 26-27, 2007
Today, many young activists are making noise and voicing their views against genocide. Their actions hold politicians accountable for the choices they make in the face of genocide. Our featured speaker is Rebecca Hamilton, Genocide Intervention Network Representative, Harvard Law School/Kennedy School of Government graduate student, and co-founder of the Harvard Darfur Action Group. Watch a video of Rebecca Hamilton.
