Sept/Oct 2011 Newsletter
Posted by Robyn on October 20, 2011 in Newsletter | 0 comments
Friends of Proof,
We hope this finds you well. We’re excited to bring you up to date on what PROOF has been working on since we last wrote to you. Our core peace building program, the Rescuers Project, which collects, preserves and presents stories of ‘rescuers’—the courageous people who risked their own lives and those of their families to protect persecuted groups from violence and genocide—debuted in Sarajevo and is going to Cambodia later on this year. Both the Bosnia and Cambodia Rescuers exhibitions—a collection of 25 portraits with stories from four genocides; the Holocaust, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda and Cambodia—were funded by grants from the State Department, the Compton Foundation and by your generous support. The Rescuers Project has two main objectives; to honor those who put themselves forward by recording their stories and to educate young people to prevent genocide through workshops based on the material.
Picturing Moral Courage in Sarajevo
“I believe that it is deeply important that we not only look for people who have demonstrated courage and compassion, but that we listen to their stories and publicly recognize the good they have done.” –US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Patrick S. Moon, July 20th 2011.
The Rescuers: Picturing Moral Courage exhibition opened in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a two-day Media, Arts and Social Change Conference on July 15th and 16th. In conjunction with the Embassy of the United States, the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC), and the Center for Justice and Reconciliation, PROOF’s dedicated team worked for months to create this amazing exhibition that showcases the stories of rescuers who resisted prejudice and violence and reached out to save others during genocide and conflict despite the great risks these acts of heroism created for themselves, their families and their communities. Speakers for the opening of the exhibition and conference included U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Patrick S. Moon, Dr. Ervin Staub (interviewed below), and filmmaker Abigail Disney, co-founder and co-president of the Daphne Foundation.
Interview with Dr. Ervin Staub
Dr. Staub is Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the Ph.D. program in the Psychology of Peace and the Prevention of Violence at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the author most recently of Overcoming Evil: Genocide, Violent Conflict, and Terrorism(New York, Oxford University Press, 2011)
What is the importance of recognizing rescuers today?
Firstly, recognizing rescuers inspires people to become helpers during times of violence. Their stories provide society 
with examples of moral courage. Secondly, in addition to the inspirational aspect, recognizing rescuers can also contribute to reconciliation in post conflict societies. Take the situation of Rwanda. Recognizing Hutu rescuers during the 1994 genocide helps Tutsis be are aware that not all Hutus are violent and that some had endangered themselves to save others. This can lead to a more positive attitude toward Hutus. Interestingly, this can also lead to a more positive attitude toward Tutsis by the Hutus as well, as it shows them that the Tutsis recognize the humanity of the Hutus.
What makes PROOF’s Rescuers Project unique?
There are many projects that focus on rescuers. What is unique about PROOF’s Rescuers Project is that it collects the stories of rescuers from a variety of genocides, from a variety of places. Usually, projects on rescuers focus on one genocide, typically the Holocaust. PROOF’s current program shows that rescuers do emerge in a number of different places—they are not limited to one particular place and their acts of courage happen pretty much in every genocide and mass killing. By highlighting the universality of rescuers, hosting events around the rescuer’s stories, and bringing people together, PROOF’s Project is inspirational and important in creating learning opportunities.
Sarajevo Youth Conference
The Rescuers exhibition and conference in Sarajevo attended by over 120 young people, provided a valuable
learning experience, in helping them think about the relationships between the different groups in the region and the possibility of positive actions amongst different ethnic groups. What often happens in genocide and mass killings is that there is an evolution of violence between groups—genocide doesn’t just suddenly emerge, it evolves. Once it becomes clear that a genocide is in process, then some people will emerge as rescuers. There is a great need to create awareness and recognition so that people will act earlier to prevent horrible violence. The Rescuers project not only honors those who stepped up but educates people to become aware of the importance of early action and prevention.
Rescuers Travel to Cambodia in November
The Rescuers project will travel to Cambodia later this year to showcase the stories of the courageous individuals who became rescuers during the Khmer Rouge regime as well as to promote the importance of civil and moral courage during Cambodia’s reconstruction and transition to a just and democratic society. PROOF has partnered with local non-profit organization, Youth For Peace (YFP), in a project that engages with youth groups from around the country. The goal of this project is to provide learning experiences from the rescuers stories to the younger generation as well as to inspire participants to be passionate and courageous when faced with social injustice through a series of discussions and workshops.
The Rescuers exhibition will open for three weeks on November 4 in Phnom Penh at Meta House; workshops conducted by YFP will also be held there.
What can I do?
Spread the word that individuals can make a difference in even the world’s worst human rights crises. Invite friends to check out our website and learn about Proof. And consider making an additional tax-deductible donation to Proof – we’re a very small organization with a very large challenge, and we’re working hard to extend our reach. Go to www.prooof.org or mail your donation to: Proof: Media for Social Justice, 3 Parkway, Larchmont, NY 10538.
