April is Genocide Prevention Month

Nearly all genocides that have occurred over the past century all began in April. To both commemorate these terrible histories and to raise awareness about all genocides, April is genocide prevention month.

To learn more about genocide, check out this infographic on the history of genocide by the numbers. Learn about past genocides and present conflicts from AMICC member World Without Genocide. Read about preventing atrocities before they happen.

Tuesday, April 3: Anniversary of the Darfur Genocide

To commemorate Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month, Act for Sudan members will host a series of National Days of Action events in April. Each event will be unique and locally designed. For more information on how you can get involved, visit their website.

Darfur Interfaith Network and United to End Genocide are holding the annual Hope for Darfur Justice in Sudan Rally on Sunday, April 29, 2012 in Washington D.C.

Thursday, April 5: Anniversary of the siege of Sarajevo
2012 is the 20th anniversary of the siege of Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from April 5th, 1992 to February 29, 1996. Serbian forces lay siege to the city and began a campaign of ethnic cleansing in response to the Bosnian government declaring independence from Yugoslavia, creating a multiethnic state. It was the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare.

Saturday, April 7: Rwandan Genocide Remembrance Day

The UN has named April 7 as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide. This day commemorates the deaths of 800,000 people who were murdered during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, central Africa.

Tuesday, April 17: Anniversary of the Cambodian Genocide

Thursday, April 19: Holocaust Remembrance Day

If you are in the D.C. area, visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to commemorate. If you have a Holocaust museum or memorial in your area, see if you can include the ICC and its work on genocide in its activities or celebrations on Holocaust Day.

Tuesday, April 24: Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

To learn more, watch 20 voices -stories the Armenian Genocide.

Interested in getting involved in Genocide Prevention month? AMICC encourages members to organize commemoration events in your community! Some ideas on such an event:

• Host an educational screening of a film on genocide. See a list of such films (via World Without Genocide).
• Host a free program viewing of "The Last Survivor," an award-winning film that tells the story of four survivors of different genocides and atrocity crimes in Rwanda, Darfur, Congo, and the Holocaust.
• Take a look at how you can take action in your communities (via United to End Genocide)
• Raise awareness! Print out the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide and hand them out in your community!
• As a student, read about how you can actively organize on campus, find a STAND (the student-led division of United to End Genocide) chapter closest to you, or attend a chapter event!