Genocide Awareness Program Introduces St. Paul 8th Graders to the Unthinkable

American Refugee Committee
Friday, 9 May 2003

Genocide. It's a term that didn't even exist before World War II. But as Saint Paul 8th grade students will learn during 10 American Refugee Committee (ARC) presentations from May 12 through May 19, it's a practice that continues to plague nations across the globe. The Twin Cities-based worldwide relief organization will focus on recent atrocities, including events in Bosnia, Kosovo and Rwanda.

The presentations are part of a larger program sponsored by Saint Paul-based Lawson Software. Earlier this year, as part of The Saint Paul Reads Program, Lawson gave each of the nearly 3,500 8th graders in Saint Paul Public Schools a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank. Lawson helped coordinate this week's school visits to show students that genocide is not a thing of the past.

After the presentations, the students will be given the opportunity to write a two-page essay based on the following questions:

1. Think about what it would take to survive terrible hardship, such as being a refugee. Write an essay about the personal qualities that would be important to have. What character traits, habits, personality would give you an advantage and which ones would be a disadvantage?

2. Think about refugees fleeing a country that is persecuting them. They must find a country willing to take them in. How important do you think it is for a country such as the United States to be willing to accept refugees? Write an essay about this. Include the kinds of things refugees would need in the new country and what we can do to help them.

3. Since its birth more than 200 years ago, the United States has been a destination for refugees and immigrant groups. Write an essay about your family's coming to the United States and how your family dealt with all the changes.

An independent panel will select five winning essays. On June 9, Lawson will host a luncheon for the winning students and will donate $1,000 in relief funding per student to the nation of the student's choice.

"These are tough lessons to learn," said Lawson Chief Financial Officer Robert Barbieri. "But we believe this also teaches them the lesson of human rights and treating all people with respect, which can be used in their very own community."

Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent Patricia Harvey says this program has particular relevance to students in her district. "Our students come from literally hundreds of different ethnic backgrounds, and many of their families know first hand the devastation of ethnic cleansing," she said. "This program gives students a forum to voice their opinions and truly make a difference through the donation from Lawson."

The American Refugee Committee's main role is to ease the suffering of the victims of war. It was the first U.S. humanitarian agency to deliver relief supplies to the people of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. To date, with its London-based partner Iraqi Refugee Aid Council, ARC has delivered more than 250 tons of humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable people in Iraq. Despite his hectic schedule in coordinating these efforts, Huy Pham, director of International Operations at ARC, is taking time to talk to students during some of this week's presentations. Pham has first-person experience in dealing with war. His family was among the last to flee Vietnam during the fall of Saigon.

"The most difficult thing for students to hear is that children just like them are falling victims to such terrible crimes," said Pham. "But, they must learn that they can impact the future and help prevent this from happening."

For more information, pleasw contact Martha Naegeli at (612) 607-6481 or Tracy Kurschner from Weber Shandwick at (952) 346-6131.

For more information, or to contact American Refugee Committee, see their website at: www.archq.org