Jewish Museum Presents Crimes Against Humanity

How do children and young people experience one of today's most brutal conflicts? An answer to this question is provided by the pictures in the exhibition "Drawn by War" showing in the Eric F. Ross Gallery at the Jewish Museum Berlin. The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch distributed pens and paper to children and young people in refugee camps.

The resulting drawings are shocking: unsettling evidence of fear, violence and death. On 19 March, the Jewish Museum Berlin is hosting a project day especially for young reporters, media workers, and school magazine editors, followed by further workshops for school children.

The school children will learn about the lives of young people in Darfur during their workshop. The film "On Our Watch," made by the aid organization "Refugee International" in 2006, allows insight into the current situation in the refugee camps. There will be a talk with the Darfur expert Annette Weber from the Science and Politics Foundation. The roundup workshop will be on the various forms of personal involvement and concrete projects will be developed.

There are a number of ways school children could draw attention to the conflict in Darfur, ranging from a solidarity party through articles in the school magazine to fundraising activities. The presentation of these concepts will conclude the project day at 5 pm. The Education Department of the Jewish Museum Berlin will continue to supervise these projects in the weeks that follow.

The project day is part of the "Darfur: Crimes Against Humanity" campaign week organized by the Jewish Museum Berlin in cooperation with Human Rights Watch under the patronage of former UN Secretary General, S.E. Kofi Annan. The project day is also the prelude to a series of 2 ½ hr workshops surrounding the exhibition "Drawn by War" organized by the Jewish Museum Berlin. These will be for pupils from grade 9 upwards and will take place from 20 March to 9 April.

The educational program for schools surrounding the Darfur Week was developed in cooperation with Hands Across the Campus/American Jewish Committee. -- www.juedisches-museum-berlin.de