Genocide Awareness
Oct 31st, 2007 by Michael Justice
Genocide Awareness Blog?
Typically we think of lectures as events where invited speakers make their comments, field a few questions, then depart, leaving perhaps a few ripples in the pond to remind folks that they’ve been present. With the aid of technology, however, we can change that scenario. Lectures can become substantive prompts that transform the public square into an extended town meeting where the conversation begun with the lecture extends beyond the initial presentation and expands to include a growing network of dialogue partners.
Oct. 22, Peter Galbraith launched the Cohen Center’s first annual Genocide Awareness Lecture his lecture entitled, “Preventing Genocide in the 21st Century: Lessons From Iraq, Bosnia, and East Timor.” Galbraith’s remarks drew together numerous observations from his years in diplomatic service in Central Europe and East Asia. And his comments in reply to the many questions that were posed brought wisdom and insight to current tensions in Iraq, especially. Many of those comments are summarized in his Op.Ed. piece that appeared in the next day’s New York Times (link). With access to that article and questions posed by students and others who attended the lecture, we have an opportunity to extend that conversation further.
What are the lessons we can draw from Iraq most particularly as think about our obligation to prevent genocide from occurring yet again?