Our World At War Exhibition Visits Wellington

NEWS RELEASE

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Our World At War Photo Exhibition Visits Wellington

A group of award-winning war photographers examine up-close the suffering but also the dignity of those affected by war in the exhibition Our World At War, to be launched in New Zealand at Parliament House, Wellington this week.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the VII photo agency sent five award winning war photographers - James Nachtwey, Franco Pagetti, Antonin Kratochvil, Ron Haviv and Christopher Morris - to eight countries affected by armed conflict: the Philippines, Afghanistan, Liberia, Georgia, Colombia, Lebanon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti.

The images that the photographers captured in these countries reveal individual stories of loss, the suffering and strength of women struggling to recover from sexual violence, families coping with displacement and people victimised by gang warfare. They also highlight the inspiring attempts that continue to be made by ordinary men and women to limit human suffering.

Our World At War was created to mark the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and has now been shown in more than 40 countries around the world.

The first Geneva Convention of 1864 was created to protect the wounded on the battlefield and was the first step to formalise such laws and customs into an international treaty. Since then, international humanitarian law (IHL) the bedrock of which are the Geneva Conventions, have continued to expand and adapt in response to the changing nature of warfare.

Today there are four Geneva Conventions which have been ratified by all countries in the world. Accompanied by three Additional Protocols; they have expanded the protection for non-combatants, detainees, civilians and humanitarian workers in both international and non-international conflicts.

New Zealand Red Cross Chief Executive John Ware said the Geneva Conventions are a forceful reminder that international law must be obeyed by all.

“IHL is universal and reminds us of our common bonds. It does not distinguish between whether the armed conflict is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Rather, the laws of war focus on a base level of humanity that applies even during war,” he said.

The Head of the ICRC Regional Delegation in the Pacific, Linh Schroeder said even six decades on IHL continues to protect those not or no longer participating in hostilities.

“As a delegate for the ICRC, I have witnessed first-hand how the law has helped reduce suffering – seeing the happiness of a Liberian child-soldier reunited with his family and hearing the sobs of relief of grown men on receiving their first ever family news since being arrested,” she said.

“Undoubtedly IHL has saved many lives and protected many people around the world and continues to do so, but as some of the photographs in the exhibition tragically reveal, more needs to be done to ensure greater compliance with the law," Ms Schroeder said.

The exhibition is on display at Parliament House in Wellington from October 12 to November 8 and in Auckland at the University of Auckland’s Fale Pasifika from November 11-20.

Linh Schroeder will be available for interviews with the media this Wednesday afternoon.

For more information, photos or to interview Linh Schroeder, contact New Zealand Red Cross National Marketing and Communications Manager Paul Scoringe at paul.scoringe@redcross.org.nz or on 04 495 0139 or 027 287 9335

ENDS

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