Photos: Eddie Gerald
_________________________
Genocide convention: What can one person achieve?
In 1943 the word ‘Genocide’ was coined by the Polish Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin by taking the Greek word “Genos” (meaning family, tribe or race) and combining it with the Latin word “cide” (meaning killing). Lemkin became a refugee following Germany’s occupation of Poland, and arrived in the United States in 1941. Lemkin lost 49 members of his family during the Holocaust in Europe. He was also interested in the Armenian Genocide, warning that such events could take place again, and began lobbying the League of Nations for Genocide to be recognised.
As a result of his efforts, on December 9th 1948 the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the crime of Genocide was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. In January 1951 the convention came into effect. 140 states to date have ratified the convention
“The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.”
Resolution 260 December 9th 1948
An international conference will take place in Israel in November 2009 at the Tel Aviv University and venues around Israel to mark the 60th anniversary of the genocide convention and ask the question – what next?
The conference will take place in association with the S. Daniel Abraham Centre for Middle Eastern and Regional studies, the Minerva and German Institute at Tel Aviv university, the Hartog School of Governance, Open University, IAGS (International Association of Genocide Scholars), the Stephen Roth Institute, JDC American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Aegis Trust (UK), The Pears foundation and esteemed experts such as Yehuda Bauer,
The conference aims to highlight Jewish and Israeli civil society’s contribution to genocide prevention, as well as to raise awareness within Israel about Genocide and the plight of refugees fleeing current Genocide and ways in which Israel can play an active role in preventing Genocide.
The two day conference will include key note speakers and panel discussions with academics, scholars and genocide experts from around the world as well as interactive workshops, genocide survivor testimonies, films, exhibitions, music and artistic performances.
