From Elie Wiesel’s Nobel Peace Prize speech (1986)–
[A boy] asked his father: “Can this be true? This is the twentieth century, not the Middle Ages. Who would allow such crimes to be committed? How could the world remain silent?”
And now the boy is turning to me. “Tell me,” he asks, “what have you done with my future, what have you done with your life?” And I tell him that I have tried. That I have tried to keep memory alive, that I have tried to fight those who would forget. Because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices.”
Lately I’ve found myself explaining to people the latest thinkpeace focus: the One Million Bones project. The first reaction is one of total confusion. “Bones? Why are you making bones?” When I talk about genocide, the expressions become ones of concern but also of only of distant recognition. The fact is, most people I talk to have no idea that genocide has occurred in their lifetime. Most believe that such atrocities have not happened since World War II. If you ask most teenagers, they truly have no idea. Yes, we know that wars have happened and still are… and we know that there is suffering in the world. But genocide and displacement? These concepts seem to go undiscussed at school and at the family dinner table. The fact is, as a whole, we seem to have tuned out this news: genocide and displacement are CURRENT events.
At our thinkGIRLUP monthly meetings, we’ve been discussing why these atrocities are still occurring, why world governments are not taking a stronger stand, why these issues are not talked about in social studies classes and more. We talk about intolerance and acceptance. From the school bus to the mall to our neighborhoods and communities and on into the world, intolerance is what creates conflict. We talk about raising awareness and using the power of our voices and the creativity of our hands to enact change. And we make bones. Why bones? The bones are symbols of a couple of things. First, we know this: when you take away the things that make people different, the color of their skin, hair, eyes, their religious and cultural differences, etc., you see that we are all the same. We are bones. We all have the same ones, with the same shape, tone and texture. We are one and the same. Second, the bones signify the bodies of all those who have fallen victim to genocides around the world. We have joined the One Million Bones campaign, in partnership with StudentsRebuild and CARE, to raise awareness and funds (for survivors and victims of ongoing displacement in Sudan, Burma, and the Democratic Republic of Congo) through art activism. This is our way to spread our voices, combined with others, to create change, to insist on tolerance and to take a stand against genocide.
“It’s often too easy to feel that the problems of others who live far away in circumstances we cannot imagine are not ‘ours,’” said Leslie Thomas, curator and co-director of “Congo/Women” and the founding executive director of Art Works Projects. “But if we do our job right, the arts can help us come together and take that next step to support those with whom we share this earth.” We are all connected on this planet, but so often we seem to forget our global brothers and sisters, making us accomplices to the crimes against humanity. As a photographer, Marcus Bleasdale believes art is an empowering medium for activism. His photos highlight the most extreme human rights abuses around the world. He believes that “artists partnering with NGOs, advocacy groups, and individuals that lobby organizations and governments can learn about abuses, including sexualized violence used in conflict.” The visual image goes a long way in illustrating the issues facing humanity.
Naomi Natale, founder of the One Million Bones project said, “is important to recognize that these atrocities are occurring today, and that intolerance is at the root of these conflicts. Equally important, however, is the message that there is hope for a better future, and through working together to learn about the mistake of intolerance and actively contributing to a collective movement, students can deal with genocide in a manner which allows them to be empowered.” Students CAN learn. Youth CAN be heard. And collective action can make a real difference.
“At the end of the day, the job of all of us working in human rights is to let the story of individuals shine through our chosen mediums as storytellers,” said Leslie Thomas. At thinkpeace workshop for girls, we believe the impact of one million bones being displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC will open minds and hearts and get people talking… and ACTING. thinkpeace girls are taking action. They are talking to friends, neighbors, and family members, raising awareness and asking for action. They are telling the stories of the victims and survivors with every bone they make, so that no one is forgotten.
“When we make something with our hands it changes the way we think; which changes the way we feel; which changes the way we act.” —Carl Wilkens