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Events focus on genocide awareness Film screenings, exhibits on display around the Valley by Luci Scott - Mar. 25, 2012 09:18 PM The Republic | azcentral.com April is Genocide Awareness Month in Arizona, and it kicks off early with a screening of a documentary, "The Last Survivor," on Tuesday at Arizona State University in Tempe. One of the film's directors, Michael Kleiman, will be present to talk about the making of the film and how genocide survivors can be helped. The film, to be screened at 6 p.m. in Room 241-C in ASU's Memorial Union, tells stories of survivors and focuses on genocide prevention and civic activism. Another film, "Kony 2012," about African war criminal Joseph Kony, will be shown at 7 p.m. April 3 in Room 228 of the Memorial Union. The film is being presented by the non-profit group Invisible Children, which works to combat the practice of using children as soldiers. This film is longer than the one that has gone viral on the Internet and stirred controversy over its accuracy. On April 2, Scottsdale Community College will host an interactive event with two features: booths staffed by international groups and Camp Darfur, described as a traveling refugee camp consisting of a group of tents representing previous and current genocides. The daylong activity will be in the mall west of the Applied Sciences Building. "It brings attention to the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan," said John Liffiton, co-coordinator, with Larry Tualla, of the college's Honors Program, the host of the activities. Visitors will learn about modern Darfur as well as such previous mass murders as the Holocaust, the Turks' slaying of Armenians during World War I and mass killings in Cambodia and Rwanda. "When people think of the Holocaust, they think of World War II, but genocide is still happening today," Liffiton said. He is a professor in the college's English department and director of the English as a Second Language Program. Camp Darfur is open to the public April 3-4 at GateWay Community College, 108 N. 40th St. On April 5, a screening of "Kony 2012" is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Dobson High School, 1501 W. Guadalupe in Mesa. It is free and open to the public. An entire day of activities for the students will include guest speakers and films as well as the Camp Darfur exhibit, said English teacher Kim Klett, who teaches a course on the Holocaust. For more information, go to darfurandbeyond.org. |