NEVER AGAIN:
Genocide from Cambodia
to Darfur and Beyond

Three powerful art exhibits and two panel discussions bring us face to face with the genocides and other mass atrocities of the 20th (and 21st) century.

As former victims of genocide, the Jewish people feel a moral imperative to ensure that this never happens again—to anyone. Through our sponsorship of these programs, the Office of Jewish Affairs hopes to educate the University community and in so doing, to bring the world one step closer to that goal.

Exhibits on display November 2-13, 2009
Student Union Art Gallery
Open Monday-Thursday 10-5, Friday 10-3
Extended hours Tues 11/3 and 11/10 (till 9:30pm)
Closed Nov 11 for Veterans Day

Opening Reception and Artist Talks:
Tuesday, November 3
Reception 5-6pm; Artist talks at 6pm
Student Union Art Gallery

Beyond Genocide
Amy Fagin's beautiful illuminated manuscripts depict the tragic history of genocides and other mass atrocities, primarily in the 20th (and 21st) century. Viewed in its entirety, the exhibition is a powerful artistic commentary on the history of genocide and its legacy to our planet. More info about the exhibit...
Beyond Genocide Resource Guide (PDF 1.2MB)

Ending the Silence in Cambodia
An exhibition of drawings and letters by Cambodian children trying to come to terms with the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, and by elderly Cambodians trying to heal from their countrymen's crimes against humanity. This is the American premiere of a new exhibit compiled by Amherst native Leah Roth-Howe. This very timely exhibit opens in Amherst in the midst of an ongoing Cambodian prosecution of former members of the Khmer Rouge for crimes against humanity. More info...

The Children of Darfur: Surviving Genocide
The Western Massachusetts Darfur Coalition offers this collection of drawings from children at a Darfuri refugee camp. The drawings were collected by Dr. Jerry Erhlich of Doctors Without Borders from children in the Kalma refugee camp who had witnessed murder, rape and the burning of their homes and villages. While children were in line to receive shots and medical treatment, Dr. Erhlich gave them crayons and paper and asked them to draw ‘what your life in Darfur is.’ Our coalition hopes that these drawings will spark discussion of how we all can help bring peace to this region in crisis.

This collaborative exhibition is sponsored by the Office of Jewish Affairs, STAND: Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, the Western Mass Darfur Coalition, and the Student Union Art Gallery, and is made possible through the generosity of the UMass Arts Council, Graduate Student Senate, Student Government Association, and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.


RELATED PROGRAMS:

Interfaith panel discussion...
Genocide: Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and
the Search for Meaning in the Face of Evil
Spiritual leaders from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Native American traditions discussed how they approach evil in the form of genocide and other crimes against humanity, the possibility of reconciliation or forgiveness, and how their tradition can help survivors and their descendants to find meaning in life and to reconcile with God, humanity, and the country in which they may still live.
Speakers and more info...
A related art exhibition ("Never Again: Genocide from Cambodia to Darfur and Beyond") was open for viewing at the Student Union Art Gallery before and after this event.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 7:30pm
Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union Building
Press Release (pdf)

Panel discussion...
Genocide: From Justice to Prevention
Human rights activists from STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, Beyond Genocide, and the Darfur Rehabilitation Project discussed their efforts to combat genocide. A related art exhibition ("Never Again: Genocide from Cambodia to Darfur and Beyond") was open for viewing at the Student Union Art Gallery before and after this event.
Beyond Genocide Resource Guide (PDF 1.2MB)
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 7:00pm
Commonwealth Room, Student Union Building

Cambodia Remembered: Angkor Dance Troupe
and Monkey Dance Film
The Angkor Dance Troupe from Lowell, Massachusetts trains young Cambodians to preserve, develop and teach the traditions of Cambodian performance arts.
Julie Mallozzi's award-winning film Monkey Dance documents the lives of three Cambodian-American teenagers coming of age in a world shadowed by their parents' nightmares of the Khmer Rouge. Their parents escaped Cambodia's killing fields; now dance helps these teens survive the minefields of urban America.
Sunday, November 15 at 3:00pm, Bowker Auditorium
Tickets and other information