Commissioned by the Internationalist Foundation (IF), with whom I started to work since the debut in 2006, I am now working on a 3 year project to explore the relationship between Diasporas and Conflicts. IF’s INFOCON project, “aims to promote a better understanding of how Civil Society Organizations representing Transnational Communities can work on preventing and resolving conflicts in Europe and worldwide.” The Project is financed by the EU and steered by the Internationalist Foundation and and involves several research institutes and CSOs from Belgium, the UK, Canada, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The selected regions of origin are to be studies are Turkey, Kosovo and the Great Lakes region in Africa.
Producing a visual documentary along the research lines as so far proved to be a fascinating and a delicate experience. As a platform, London has been fruitful to explore various angles of this project. Nooruz (Persian New Year) was celebrated a few weeks ago in Trafalgar Square. While not the main purpose of the festivities, the social gathering nevertheless reunited Kurds from many Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria.
Also, Tuesday the 7th of April will mark 15th year since the Genocide took place in Rwanda. While remaining an understandably highly sensitive issue, a few events will take place in London and elsewhere to commemorate the atrocious anniversary. Survivors Fund (SURF) and Hope Survivors Foundation in collaboration with Amnesty International UK recently held an event for the 15th Anniversary commemoration of the Rwandan genocide. I have also been invited to attend an event organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda on Tuesday to further the work on this aspect of the project.
This is therefore an ongoing photographic project which will cover a larger spectrum and greater number of diasporic communities and actors.
H.E. Claver Gatete Ambassador of Rwanda to the UK, Ireland and the Nordic Countries
