CINEMA FOR PEACE BERLIN 2 0 0 4 “So let us create Cinema For Peace … Art for Peace … Music for Peace … Lyrics for Peace … I think it is now time for the artists, for the philosophers, and the poets, and the filmmakers to take some responsibility.” Dr. Deepak Chopra CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 IS PRESENTED BY CINEMA FOR PEACE BERLIN 2 0 0 4 Christina Rau PATRONESS Liza Minnelli, Sir Peter Ustinov and Christopher Lee EVENT CHAIRS Dr. Mathilde Krim, Ela Gandhi, Dieter Kosslick, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dieter Abt, Jaka Bizilj VICE CHAIRS AND SUPPORTED BY G A L A Jette Joop Christoph Ott and the Nobel Peace COMMITTEE Milla Jovovich Norbert Preuss Prize laureates Stefan Aust Nicole Kidman Tini Gräfin Rothkirch Oscar Arias Sanchez Iris Berben Wladimir Klitschko Susan Sarandon & Jody Williams Celia von Bismarck Vitali Klitschko Ralf Schmerberg George Clooney Dieter Kosslick Jessica Schwarz U N I C E F Gianni K. van Daalen Christopher Lee Prof. Klaus Siebenhaar COMMITTEE Catherine Deneuve Caroline Link Danis Tanovic Sir Peter Ustinov Veronica Ferres Carl Leighton-Pope Bob Weinstein Ralf Bauer Dr. Friedrich Roland Mary Harvey Weinstein Marie-Luise Marjan Christian Flick Gerhard Meir Vivienne Westwood Katja Riemann I.D. Gloria Fürstin Klaus Meine Tine Willumsen Nina Ruge von Thurn und Taxis Kate Merkle Sönke Wortmann Sasha Sir Bob Geldof Ralf Moeller Klaus Wowereit Bärbel Schäfer Dirk Große-Leege Liz Mohn Catherine Zeta-Jones Heide Simonis Oliver Hirschbiegel Ennio Morricone Suzanne von Borsody Wolfgang Joop Liam Neeson — CATERING BY BORCHARDT — CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 JAKA BIZILJ CINEMA FOR PEACE CHRISTINA RAU PATRONESS OF CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 Welcome to Cinema for Peace 2004! We are deeply honored and touched by all of you being here and by seeing so many people Our world does not live in peace. It suffered 14 wars and 21 serious conflicts throughout the past year. Many still continue. who want to make a difference. We have an exceptional evening planned and an experience I hope you will enjoy with me. Under such circumstances human rights become of little importance; children’s rights matter even less. Children become We live in an era of images. Since the days of film pioneers with the likes of Sergej Eisenstein or propaganda villains such as targets, are killed or wounded, raped or abducted or driven away, fleeing violence. Worldwide, more than 35 million people are Goebbels, we know what strong impact cinema-images may have on public consciousness, being sometimes even stronger currently refugees. Half of them are children. More than 300.000 boys and girls are forced to serve as child soldiers – and are than the impact of politics and education. The responsibility of the creators of cinema is bigger than ever before. Cinema for so themselves turned into perpetrators. Peace reminds us of this responsibility – of being conscious of the impact of the messages we are “putting out there” through War has terrible consequences, especially for children and infants. Insufficient supplies of food and drink often result in film and being more aware of our contribution towards peace efforts through our art. If our desire is to have a peaceful world, disease. Diarrhea, pneumonia, measles, and malaria threaten lives. Many children are separated from their parents as they we need to show our own responsibility for the images we produce – which begins with our own behavior and our state flee their homes. Abandoned and isolated, they wander along lost somewhere in the throng of refugees. UNICEF attempts to of mind. This year we are proud to present and acknowledge for the first time films that reflect and embody what Cinema help by providing warm clothing, food and medical care. But even after a conflict has officially ended, these children cannot for Peace stands for and to honor and recognize their contribution towards global peace and humanity. Our intention is to be left to themselves. Their souls bear deep scars, and they must receive psychological attendance. The children need patient highlight these films and to build awareness for their valuable work and impact. We are happy to say tonight’s fund raising care taking. And those who, like UNICEF, consider children central to the revival of an appeased area must see to it that they will benefit our main partner UNICEF and our new friend amfAR, which have been doing so much for the aids research and can swiftly return to school. The UNICEF program ”School-in-a-box” helps hundred thousands of children to regain a bit of the consciousness of the film community over the past 20 years. Our very special thanks go to our patron Christina Rau, and normalcy in their lives. UNICEF’s work continues after the public has long become preoccupied with other issues, when it the hosts of the evening Liza Minnelli for amfAR and Sir Peter Ustinov and Christopher Lee for has forgotten or even repressed what has occurred – or what may still be going on. Allowing UNICEF. We are also very thankful for the support of Dieter Kosslick of the Berlin International children to live in a peace that is more than the mere absence of war is a lasting, long-term task Film Festival, of our main sponsor VW and of our keynote speaker Dr. Deepak Chopra who has – not only for UNICEF. flown in from Los Angeles to be with us. Another special guest has also travelled thousands of I thank tonight’s organizers and guests for their willingness to help direct public attention miles to be with us and we are extremely honored to welcome Ela Gandhi, whose grandfather towards all those children on this planet who have to suffer war and the consequences of war. taught us so much and I close with his words: “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.” I also extend my gratitude to all those who through donations give UNICEF a chance to help these children. CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 UNICEF The year of 2003 saw 14 wars and 21 serious conflicts worldwide. The theatres of war were different ones, but not the misery. Hunger is war, too. War deprives children of their homes and of everything that once made up their live. According to UNICEF The misery caused by war is always the same. In many cases, wars are waged on the civilian population in an extremely radical estimates, about 35 million people are fleeing from violence and terror, half of them are children. Many of them can’t get the and brutal manner. During World War I, the share of civilian victims was about five percent – in the wars of the present time, horrible experiences out of their minds, sometimes for their whole life. 90 percent of the victims are civilians. And always the children, the weakest in society, are particularly affected. During the At refugee camps the often insufficient food supply leads to diseases, such as measles, diarrhoea, pneumonia, malaria, that nineties alone, more than 2 million boys and girls died in acts of war. are life-threatening in that situation. Very often children are separated from their parents while fleeing and continue to wander Worldwide, about 300,000 boys and girls are used as child soldiers. They kill only not to get killed. Many of them are sexually about in the stream of refugees having to fend for themselves. In current crisis areas, UNICEF provides emergency assistance abused, beaten, humiliated. The few of them who can escape or are “discharged” from service return to a world that they with warm clothes, food and medical, often also psychological care. But also after a war, children must not be left on their own. don’t know what to do with – and where they are not welcome. Quite often, the parents first don’t want to have anything to They must find a way back to a kind of everyday life and go to school as quickly as possible. Then, the activities of UNICEF in do with their children who were forced to kill. In their villages, the boys and girls are treated like lepers. UNICEF tries to pave the affected countries will focus on reconstruction assistance, especially in the educational sector. their way back to peace. In temporary homes, they are looked after and provided for; they get education and vocational trai- Whether in Iraq, in Afghanistan or in Chechnya: children never are enemies. All children have a right to protection and help, ning. It is the aim to reconcile them with their families as far as that is possible. Children who grew up in war must learn the irrespective of the question who is to blame for their situation. Who wants to put children in the centre of reconstruction must peace first. Peace education programmes help at the schools already to promote a culture of peace and develop non-violent see to it that they can go to school again as soon as possible. The reopening of the schools in Afghanistan and Angola for conflict-resolution strategies. example is considered to be a symbol of the return to normality and a new start by millions of children and their families. CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 CINEMA FOR PEACE 2 0 0 4 AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR AIDS RESEARCH ( a m f AR) The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) is the leading nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. One million new HIV infections occurred in Asia in 2003, and an estimated 7.4 million people in the support of HIV/AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public poli- the region are living with HIV.