Conflict
Our Bodies, Their Battlefield ***NEW ONLINE EVENT***
With rare insight into the day-to-day lives of women living within the battle lines, Christina Lamb address the systemic use of rape in war, and its continual deployment as a cruel, inhumane military tactic in a discussion chaired by Lindsey Hilsum.
The Explorers Club – A Mixed Bag of Conflict
The Explorers Club: A mixed bag of conflict – Presented by Ian Saunders and Tom Martienssen
In The Shadow of Biafra
Dr Louisa Egbunike’s documentary weaves together an engaging narrative of reflections from authors touched by one of the most devastating conflicts of the 1960s, one that still casts its shadow on Nigerians around the world
VANNI: Getting Graphic
War, political unrest and human suffering are unlikely subjects of comic books. Despite this, graphic novels depicting these realities have become increasingly popular, telling difficult stories to new audiences. Inspired by Benjamin Dix’s personal experience of working in Sri Lanka for the UN during the war, VANNI, draws upon over four years of meticulous research – including first-hand interviews, references from official reports and cross-referencing with experts in the field.
The Cave + Q&A @ Picturehouse Central or Curzon Soho
Ahead of its UK release, Frontline Club members and supporters are invited to a special preview screening + Q&A of Feras Fayyad’s powerful new documentary, The Cave, which tells the harrowing true story of an underground Syrian hospital and its extraordinary staff.
Conversations on Conflict Photography
In today’s image-saturated culture, what is the purpose behind taking and showing images of war and crisis? Looking at some of the themes explored in Lauren Walsh’s new book, “Conversations on Conflict Photography”, we speak to award-winning photographers and leading photo editors about their experiences.
The Investigator: Demons of the Balkan War
Former detective Vladimir Dzuro was tasked with tracking down and arresting the mEn responsible for one of the Balkan War’s most shocking war crimes at the end of the twentieth century.
End of the Caliphate
Ivor Prickett’s book End of the Caliphate is the result of months spent on the ground in Iraq and Syria between 2016 and 2018 photographing the battle to defeat ISIS. Working exclusively for the New York Times, Ivor was often embedded with Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish forces as he documented both the fighting and its toll on the civilian population and urban landscape.
Unquiet Graves: Screening + Q&A
Join us for the screening of a film that exposed Britain’s secret collaboration in the murders of over 120 people on both sides of the Irish border during the recent conflict.
Media and Mass Atrocity: Lessons From Rwanda
To mark the 25 years that have passed since the Rwandan genocide, we’ll be discussing the role of media in times of civil conflict and mass atrocity.
Watch the video stream of Media And Mass Atrocity: Lessons from Rwanda
Workshop: Ethical Content Gathering for NGOs and Journalists
NGOs and journalists often have to operate in challenging or hostile contexts. Producing quality material whilst maintaining levels of professionalism and sensitivity can be hard. This course will help you navigate through the complexities and give you the confidence you need to bring back a story safely and sensitively.
The Future of Turkey and the EU
In the backdrop of Turkey’s April referendum, escalating tensions between Turkey and major European powers has signalled a new era of hostile relations. President Erdogan’s bid to radically remodel the parliamentary system in Turkey has led to opposition groups fearing the creation of one-man rule. The Turkish government, which has been carrying out brutal crackdowns on political dissenters following the failed coup last year, is now looking toward European countries as a stage to strengthen its agenda. Our panel will reflect on President Erdogan’s fraught relationship with the EU in the context of the country’s political future after the April referendum.
The War is in the Mountains: Judith Matloff in Conversation
In her groundbreaking new book No Friends But the Mountains, veteran war correspondent Judith Matloff describes her journeys to remote mountain communities across the globe — from Albania and Chechnya to Nepal and Colombia — to investigate why so many conflicts occur at great heights. Matloff will join us in conversation with journalist Nawal al-Maghafi to discuss the links between geography and conflict, and reflect on her discoveries from the world’s most remote regions.
South Sudan: The Cost of a Relentless War
As war continues to rage through many parts of South Sudan we will be joined by a cross section of experts engaged in the current crisis. This panel discussion will focus on the human cost of the war, as well as what the future holds for the world’s newest country. The discussion will be preceded by a UNICEF supported press briefing at 5:00 PM for all members of the media.
Arms Trade and Counter-Terrorism: Developments in Yemen’s Civil Conflict
Since Yemen’s civil war began in 2014, the country has been embroiled in fighting between forces loyal to the president, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Shia Houthi rebels. Is enough consideration of Yemen’s humanitarian contexts being taken in arms exporting and counter-terrorism? With a judicial review aiming to halt UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia beginning in February – and US involvement in the country changing under the Trump administration – we will discuss the role of foreign powers in Yemen’s civil conflict.
Death Squads and Diplomacy: Drug War in The Philippines
After a campaign that promised to cleanse the country of drug crime, the new President of the Philippines Rodriguo Duerte has launched a brutal and unrelenting mission to expunge drug dealers from the country. Since he took office in July 2016, there have been nearly 4,000 extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users at the hands of police and vigilantes. Will President Duerte be held accountable for the mass killings taking place in the Philippines? How did the disturbing killings currently sweeping the country begin, and what does it teach us about impunity, power and the spread of violence?
A Revolution in Four Seasons
The film, first released in May this year, follows four years in the parallel political lives of Jawhara Ettis and Emna Ben Jemaa – two women at the centre of Tunisia’s radical turn to democracy during the 2011 Arab Spring.
Arete Workshop: NGO and Humanitarian Content Gathering in Challenging Contexts
NGOs and journalists often have to operate in challenging or hostile contexts. Producing quality material whilst maintaining levels of professionalism and sensitivity can be hard. This course will help you navigate through the complexities and give you the confidence you need to bring back a story safely and sensitively.
Screening: The War Show + Q&A
This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Andreas Møl Dalsgaard.
Through observational and at times humorous footage of everyday life, The War Show exposes what it is like to be a creative, ambitious young woman living amidst one of the most destructive conflicts of our time. This unprecedented documentary offers a rarely-seen image of youth culture in Syria, following the experiences of a DJ and her friends following Arab Spring of 2011, when the sad realities that follow envelop their hope for liberation.
The Girl from Aleppo: Responding to Syria’s Humanitarian Crisis
Acclaimed journalist Christina Lamb joins as she shares the powerful story of Nujeen Mustafa, a teenager who travelled 3,500 miles from Syria to Germany in a wheelchair. With her quirky observations on the world, Nujeen illustrates the people behind the numbers crossing Europe on a journey that Lamb has followed in person. Unable to be present in person, Nujeen will be joining the discussion over Skype.
Screening: The White Helmets + Discussion
This screening will be followed by a discussion with director Orlando von Einsiedel, producer Joanna Natasegara and others.
As daily airstrikes pound civilian targets in Syria, a group of indomitable first responders risk their lives to rescue victims from the rubble. The White Helmets introduces us to those extraordinary individuals, presenting an arresting and humanising look at one of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time.
Irregular War: The Future of Global Conflicts
How can discourse surrounding international relations and conflict resolution respond to global terrorist movements and the permuting role of technology in warfare? How are ongoing civil conflicts calling for new approaches to global security? By exploring the timely question of intervention versus non-intervention, and examining the changing nature of warfare and technology, this discussion presents a comprehensive overview of new thinking on international diplomacy and the complexities of peace-making in the age of ‘irregular war’.
Displacement and demography: Colombia
“Not quite the evening we thought we were going to have”, began Ed Vulliamy, journalist for The Guardian and The Observer. A talk that was expected to celebrate the formal end to 52 years of civil war, ended up examinging why a much celebrated peace deal between the Farc and the Colombian government was rejected in a public referendum.
Colombia’s Peace Deal: The End to the Americas’ Longest War?
After four years of negotiations, the Colombian government and the largest rebel group in the country have reached a deal to end more than 50 years of civil conflict, paving the way for an end to the longest running war in the Americas. The asymmetrical Colombian Conflict lasted 52 years, claimed over 220,000 lives and displaced more than five million people. Can Colombia become a symbol of hope in a world wracked with conflict? We will be joined by a panel of journalists and experts to discuss this historic peace agreement and what it means for the people of Colombia.
BBC Screening: Starving Yemen + Q&A
Since March 2015, a coalition of the Middle East’s richest countries, led by Saudi Arabia, has been bombing the region’s poorest state, Yemen. While the bombing campaign has been receiving intermittent coverage in the international media, the enormous scale of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Yemen as a result continues to be overlooked. Through the eyes of Ahwaq, a medical doctor living and practicing in Hodeidah, viewers will see the silent killer of this ongoing conflict: the blockade currently imposed by the Saudi-led coalition and the widespread, large-scale corruption and lawlessness on the ground, which is drastically disrupting civilians’ access to aid.
Screening: Ukrainian Sheriffs
Ukrainian Sheriffs follows Viktor and Volodya, two men who have been appointed local sheriffs by the mayor in the town of Stara Zburyevka, Ukraine. While dealing with crimes such as stolen ducks and drunken neighbours, the news about the war is slowly creeping in on them through their televisions and the invitations to join the army. Ukrainian Sheriffs gives us look beyond the war and inside everyday life in a remote Ukrainian village, with a great eye for the shady side of life.
VICE News and English PEN Present: Ethics of News Gathering – Safeguarding Fixers & Translators
The Frontline Club, VICE News and English PEN present a panel discussion on the role of local fixers and translators in foreign news gathering and the responsibility of news organisations. An expert panel reveals how international news gathering really works, considers the risks in getting the story out and assesses the role of international news organisations in safeguarding the unsung heroes of foreign reporting.
Understanding Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea
Although the ideology is little understood, salafi-jihadism has played a profound role in shaping global politics in recent years. With the unprecedented territorial gains and political rise of groups such as Al-Qaeda and Daesh, islamist extremism has become the most significant socio-religious force of our time. Join us to discuss the origins and evolution of the ideas behind salafi-jihadism, as well as its primary aims and growing prominence in recent years.
Crisis in Yemen: The Forgotten War
As one of the world’s deadliest yet least reported conflicts escalates into its second year, we will be bringing together a panel of experts to discuss the current situation in Yemen.
We will map out the players involved, discuss the toll of the conflict on one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, as well as the potential for reconciliation and a lasting peace process. We will discuss the alleged complicity of Western powers – the UK, the US and France – by way of billion-dollar arms deals to the Saudi-led coalition, as well as exploring the disproportionate lack of media coverage.
Two Minutes with Molly Crabapple
Heenali Patel sat down with artist and journalist Molly Crabapple to discuss ‘Scenes from the Syrian War’, her collection of illustrations made in collaboration with Syrian writer Marwan Hisham. Using photos sent via cell phone, Molly recreated rare glimpses of daily life in ISIS-occupied areas of Syria. Filmed by Adam Barr.