Lessons from Rwanda: The United Nations and the Prevention of Genocide

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AUDIO/VISUAL RESOURCES

A number of audio-visual materials are available through the Lessons from Rwanda outreach programme for use by non-governmental organisations, schools, universities and other non-commercial entities. A discussion guide with historical background and questions to stimulate discussion is also available.

Online Videos

Rising from the ashes tells the story of one 29-year old survivor, still struggling with the legacy of the past, to forgive the unforgivable, and still wanting justice. Out of a family of nine, only her mother and she survived. The video is from episode 14 of the 21st Century television series and reports that the government looked to its communities and traditions and set up a village-level court system, with hopes of reconciliation to unite Rwanda.

Posters (pdf)

Postcard

Visions of Rwanda: Images of Survival, Reconciliation, Forgiveness and Hope View postcard in English

RADIO

• 1 July, 2008 - A New Beginning for Child Soldiers in Rwanda and the DRC
  Former child soldiers who were forced to fight for armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo, come home to Rwanda and spend time in the Muhazi Center for Demobilisation in Eastern Rwanda before going back to their communities.
  
  
• 1 June, 2007 - Rwandan filmmaker Gilbert Ndahayo uses film to keep the memory of the Genocide alive and heal his own hurt
  
  
• 7 May, 2007 - An exhibit at UN Headquarters detailed the events leading up to the Rwandan Genocide. Rwandan Ambassador to the UN takes us through some of those events.
  
  
• 20 April, 2007 - Rwandan Genocide is a reminder of the "Responsibility
  to Protect"  At the centre of this year's commemoration of the anniversary of the Rwandan genocide was a focus on the concept of the "responsibility to protect", the notion that if states cannot or will not protect their citizens, the international community has a responsibility to protect them.
  
  
• 9 April, 2007- Rwandan Genocide survivor, Immaculee Ilibagiza, describes
  her ordeal
  
  

DVDs

Contact mediainfo@un.org to request copies of any of the following DVDs:

• “Rwandan Media: Past and Present”
  (ENGLISH and KINYARWANDA 10 minutes) Produced by Internews, this film details the trial of three managers of Rwandan radio stations who were found guilty of promulgating “hate” messages via the media and examines the role the media played in the genocide. It reports on the judgments handed down by the court.
  
  Recommended audience: media groups and media departments in Universities
  
  
• “A Friend in Need”
  (ENGLISH and KINYARWANDA 40 minutes) Produced by Internews, this film includes three stories about Hutus who made efforts to save others during the genocide; some of whom lost their lives trying to protect Tutsis. In the film, the lesson is that hatred and intolerance led ordinary people to participate in the Rwanda genocide but individuals are able to say “No” to discrimination, hatred and the targeting of vulnerable populations. The film shows how much impact can result from one person’s decision to believe it is worth trying to save others.
  
  Recommended audience: secondary schools
  
  
• “Peace Basket”
  (ENGLISH and KINYARWANDA 8 minutes) Produced by Internews, this film is a story about Hutus and Tutsis who have learnt to forgive each other and to live together after the genocide. The lesson is that the only way a society can work successfully is to find ways to resolve differences, and avoid conflict, without resorting to hatred, conflict or genocide. Everyone should learn tolerance and ways of working together.
  
  Recommended audience: secondary schools
  
  
• “Courage of Survival”
  (ENGLISH and KINYARWANDA 10 minutes) Produced by Internews, these are the stories of Tutsi survivors and Hutu wives of genocide perpetrators awaiting trial learning to live together after the genocide in Rwanda. After a drought in 1994, the two groups were forced to cooperate to survive.
  
  Recommended audience: secondary schools
  
  
• “Confronting the Threat of Genocide”
  (ENGLISH 15 minutes) A panel of experts discusses the challenges involved in confronting genocide at an event at UN Headquarters in April 2006.
  
  Recommended audience: law and human rights departments in Universities