Dignity In War At Two Red Cross Exhibitions In Auckland

Five award-winning war photographers examine up-close the suffering and dignity of people affected by war in Our World At War, which opens in Auckland on 11 November.

For the first time, the Our World At War exhibition is accompanied by a second exhibition, Wars of Dignity in the Pacific, in which 22 images of warfare in the Pacific show how over centuries, behaviour and rituals developed to protect women, children and prisoners.

Both exhibitions are on display at Auckland University ’s Fale Pasifika from November 11-20, weekdays 930am-530pm, and Saturday 13 November 4-8pm. Admission is free.

Wars of Dignity in the Pacific , compiled by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was inspired by the book, Under the Protection of the Palm which researched traditional warfare in the Pacific.

New Zealand Red Cross Chief Executive John Ware says, “Wars of Dignity in the Pacific challenges some preconceptions relating to traditional warfare, particularly the perceived lack of concern for human life by traditional warriors. It also shows striking similarities to modern-day international humanitarian law as set out in the Geneva Conventions.”

For Our World at War, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and VII photo agency sent renowned photographers James Nachtwey, Franco Pagetti, Antonin Kratochvil, Ron Haviv and Christopher Morris to eight war-torn countries: Afghanistan , Colombia , DR Congo, Georgia , Haiti , Liberia and the Philippines .

The images reveal individual stories of loss, the suffering and strength of women struggling to recover from sexual violence, families coping with displacement and people victimised by gang warfare. They also highlight the inspiring attempts that continue to be made by ordinary men and women to limit human suffering.

Our World At War was created to mark the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and comes to New Zealand after being shown in more than 40 countries.

The head of ICRC’s Regional Delegation in the Pacific, Linh Schroeder, says international humanitarian law continues to protect people who are not or no longer participating in hostilities.

“As a delegate for the ICRC, I have witnessed first hand how the law has helped reduce suffering – seeing the happiness of a Liberian child-soldier reunited with his family and hearing the sobs of relief of grown men on receiving their first ever family news since being arrested,” she says.

“Undoubtedly IHL has saved many lives and protected many people around the world and continues to do so, but as some of the photographs in the exhibition tragically reveal, more needs to be done to ensure greater compliance with the law," Ms Schroeder says.

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