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Genocide in Darfur
Maimonides wrote "Anyone who is able to save a life, but fails to do so, violates the command: And you shalt not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor."
Hope and Pathos. Photo: Richard Levine.
“Visitors to our Core Exhibition are greeted by the biblical phrases ‘Remember, Never Forget’ and ‘There is Hope for your Future,’” said Dr. David G. Marwell, Museum Director. “They reflect ancient wisdom, and they guide us as an institution of education and memory. They explain why we must be vigilant and speak out about Human Rights violations — such as the situation in Darfur. Although it was unique and unprecedented, the Holocaust, when carefully studied, can reveal important universal lessons which can help to guide us as individuals and as a nation. It is our responsibility as an institution to educate all who walk through our doors — to teach about the past in the hope of improving the present and securing the future.” According to recent reports, hundreds of thousands of Darfuri have been killed by forces allied to the government of Sudan or died from inhumane conditions in the Darfur region and more than 2.5 million civilians from Darfur and neighboring Chad now live in displaced persons camps. It is with this in mind that the Museum created a new educational workshop for middle and high school students. The Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By workshop utilizes artifacts, images, and written testimony from witnesses to the genocide in Darfur — most of whom are young adults and children — to teach about the crisis and to offer information about actions students can take. Teachers: Click here for more information on participating in the workshop. As the New York Times reporter Nick Kristoff eloquently says in his article “Why Genocide Matters:” “We have a moral compass within us, and its needle is moved not only by human suffering but also by human evil. That’s what makes genocide special — not just the number of deaths but the government policy behind them….The Holocaust evokes special revulsion because it wasn’t just tragic but also monstrous, and that’s why we read Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel. Teenage girls die all the time, and little boys still starve and lose their parents — but when this arises from genocide, the horror resonates with all humans.” The Museum started its campaign to raise awareness and increase pressure on the international community to take action in Darfur in March 2006. Read about the Day-long Symposium and Action Fair. (download press release) In December 2006 the Museum integrated into its Core Exhibition objects related to the crisis in Darfur as an example of an atrocity in current times. In January 2007 the Museum invited a representative of the Darfur Peoples’ Association to speak to high school students as part of the Museum’s student curriculum Meeting Hate with Humanity: Life During the Holocaust. The students in turn wrote moving letters to the children of Darfur. Read samples of the letters.
Background information about the crisis United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience Analysis of the Crisis by Prof. Eric Reeves In the News Read Nick Kristoff's articles about Darfur Videos about Darfur Darfur Destroyed and Crisis in Darfur Human Rights Watch Darfur: Divided by Ethnic Conflict National Geographic Sudan: The Quick and the Terrible PBS Frontline Books about Darfur Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle and Gretchen Steidle Wallace Darfur: A Short History of a Long War by Julie Flint and Alex de Waal Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival by Jen Marlowe, Adam Shapiro, and Paul Rusesabagina Darfur: The Long Road to Disaster by J. Millard Burr and Robert O. Collins Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide by Gerard Prunier Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By A Museum Workshop for Middle and High School Students This interactive workshop extends your students’ visit to the Museum by offering an opportunity to think about genocide and activism today. Exploring the Museum’s theme of social justice, students conclude their tour by engaging in Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By, a lesson about the genocide in Darfur. Museum Educators provide background on the political and historical situation in Darfur and guide students through a close analysis of photographs, drawings by Darfuri children, and text. Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By encourages students to consider implications of what they learned in the Museum and how to apply these lessons to their own lives. Workshops are conducted in the Museum’s classrooms. Ask about this new one-hour lesson when you book a tour. Please call 646-437-4304 or e-mail tbradshaw@mjhnyc.org. For information about other student workshops and lesson plans please Send a letter to your government representative. Here is a sample to get you started. Dear Sir or Madam, I recently visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust where I took a tour entitled Meeting Hate With Humanity and participated in the Thou Shalt Not Stand Idly By workshop about the genocide in Darfur. As part of the discussion of social justice at the Museum, I learned that hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or have died from inhumane conditions in Sudan, and that over 2.5 million people are now forced to live in refugee camps. Now that I have learned about the Holocaust, I know how important it is to bear witness, to raise awareness, and to take action. If we fail to act, future generations will ask again why the world did nothing. Thank you. Contact your government representative Call 1-800-genocide to be connected to your elected officials for free. All you need is your zipcode. For mailing addresses and email addresses Here is a sample letter to get you started. Dear Sir or Madam, I recently visited the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. It is a testament to what happened when the world failed to save six million Jews. And yet, terrible crimes against humanity are being committed right now in Darfur. Recent reports state that hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or died from the inhumane conditions in Sudan and that over 2.5 million people are now forced to live in refugee camps. I am now urging you, as a government official, to learn from history. If we fail to act, future generations will ask again why the world did nothing. Thank you. Support the Museum's efforts by becoming a member. Click here.
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