Message Board
Share what you have discovered today.
what you are feeling, what you are thinking.
Take a step to break the silence.

The greatest victim of war is said to be the truth. I would like to look at the complex problem that is conflict from a number of angles, and take my own measures to do something about it. I will start from the newspapers!

I already knew that wars were happening in Africa, but these photos have reminded me that they are happening now. I hope that the conflict will end very soon that there will be peace.

I would like to see with my own eyes what is going on in this world. This is happening in the forests of the DRC, the world's second biggest forest after the Amazon. I would like to feel what is at the heart of Africans as well as this overwhelming reality, and to understand what is happening. Having met a great journalist, Mr. Kuno, I have been touched by the spirit of journalism. Thank you for this opportunity. In June, I will head to the Zaire's "Great River".

Although I have known that ignorance is a sin, my only knowledge on this issue has come from watching "Hotel Rwanda". Having taken part in today's event, I have found what I want to look into: 1) The number of the IDPs, and those living under similar conditions 2) UN activities 3) DRC government's activities This information should be available on the internet. I want to increase my knowledge piece by piece.

I want to know more. I want to think more. I don't want to remain ignorant.

Although it is important to change the situation of the conflict by external forces, it is also important to focus on the internal forces. The problems that people have created are solved not with money and power, but by people's growth. It is important to do away with the conflict, but also to assist so that those living in the DRC will have the strength to grow (it is not to "set them free")-to help them develop their internal strength, that is the joy of being a human. This way, the "stone" thrown into the water will make more ripples.

I felt that I want to live to the full the happy days that I live today. I want to at least give the most to those I love.

A piece of the world that is unfortunately being ignored by the general public was cut out and put on display here.

I was shocked to know that such a tragic conflict is going on even now in the 21st century. I hope that more international interest will grow, and that peace will come to the DRC very soon.

Looking at these photos was like looking at another world. But looking at the photo of the man digging for minerals, and learning that these minerals become the source of light in developed countries, I realized this issue is also related to me. It has brought home to me how narrow my field of vision has been.

It has made me realize that my only knowledge on the DRC was very basic, like that very little written in a (high school) textbook. I would have believed that I know about the DRC, even though what I knew was very superficial, had I not come to be informed of the realities that are not (allowed to be) written in the textbook.

We live in a world full of information, but we are not informed of what is really important. I felt that the provision of information is intentional. Physical distance ("it's somewhere far away") should not be a factor.

Had I not had a colleague that talks about it, I would not have become aware of the DRC conflict. Now that I have come to know about it, I want to do something so that more people will know about it. My hope is that those who have come today will become the messengers spreading word of the DRC conflict, like grains of rice that grow into hundreds of grains.

I had no idea about this. I hope our world will become one in which children can be happy.

I felt so guilty about being in a situation in which I can live my life without any such problems.

It was a great experience for me to touch this world that I knew nothing about, but that in fact is related to me. Starting with learning more, I want to think about what I can do about this situation.

Although it is difficult when asked whether or not you will do something, I feel it is important to think not about how one should live, but how one wants to live.

African regional conflicts for me were just one part of my exams on world history, on modern world history. But it may be that my lack of interest is the problem.

What should I do about this? What can I do?

The beauty in the photos and harsh realities they show leave me speechless. I can only offer my prayers for life and for living. I will not forget this reality that is happening now.

These strong and brilliant photos have touched my heart.

Is there any effort to solve this mass slaughter? Are USA or UK really bad nations? What can I do for this poor situation? Earth did/do not create for killing people…[original English, not translated]

Being in this peaceful Japan, I feel that I really understand nothing. I strongly feel that I want to see this problem with my own eyes.

I felt that young people, myself included, should not say so lightly that they want to "contribute to the world".

The photo of the man being beaten by the police in particular left an impression on me. It looked like a scene from a comic book about Japan long ago (during the war). Seeing the photo of the actual event creates a very different feeling.

I think when studying, it is most important to feel that you 'want to study' something. Coming to this exhibition, I felt gratitude that I am studying something, that I am able to study something in this way. I would like to not just be attending university, but to try to know a variety of things, to be interested in observing things. Tack s s? mycket!!

Seeing the caption below the photo of the 21 year old man, "Had he been born in Japan, he could have been attending university", I felt that I must really study hard. In future I would like to research about war.

I didn't know much about conflict in the DRC, so it was shocking for me. Until now I knew little about Africa, so from now I would like to know more and think about what I can do about it.

I am from the media. Hearing the points made about the media were painful for me, but I also feel there are some points I would like to refute (I don't think, for example, that ignoring the conflict is an active choice). But I can't yet properly put words to this. I will think more on the issue.

Living like this without problems in Japan, it is difficult to take in the fact that this is happening now, simply from hearing about it and looking at the photos. I have to really grasp that this is the reality, and, acknowledging the responsibility that comes from knowing, take some action.

Thanks to this seminar, I have known for the first time the scale of the problem in the DRC. It has also provoked me to think about the government, the media and aid. Going to seminars like this does not usually lead to action, but as mentioned in the talk, I now want to take some action. There are things I can do with the freedom I have as a student, and this is what I want to do.

It is of no use to say something about wars and conflicts. We (third parties included) need to strive to find concrete solutions.

This makes me think about the privileged environment into which I was born. It is difficult to really comprehend and feel how lucky this life is compared to those in poor countries, but there must be things that we can do, things to help those less fortunate!! I want them to hold on! To live! Until peace comes…

I want to go to Africa. I want to see the situation for myself.

I hope that you will hold more events like this at the Toyonaka campus. There are many such events at Suita campus, but it is not always easy for me to go there. Thank you for this event.

I think it is really terrible that despite so many deaths, this situation is not well known in the world and in Japan. I want to not turn away from this problem, but face it. It was painful for me to think about the 21 year old who could have been in university had he been in Japan.

I decided that I will stop buying products from corporations that support conflict. I will try to think about where things around me are coming from, and when I shop, I will try to think about whether or not the product is causing suffering in that place.

There are people suffering right at this moment. It is difficult for us living in Japan to think about this. Having seen these photos, I don't want to forget the vividness or the impact it made on me. These people and I are not unrelated, so I want to do what I can about this.

Although we are all born on the same Earth, I realized the sad reality that the value of life can be so different depending just on where one is born. I really feel how frightening conflict is. I don't know what I can do at this point, but I hope that conflict will no longer happen on this Earth.

I find myself wondering why people continue to make the same mistakes. I think that we must take more action so that the children of Africa, of the world will be able to dream in a peaceful future.

Although this is happening in a faraway country, we are all living under the same sky and living on the same Earth. I think that we all should raise our hands, our voices, and all of our bodies so that all war will disappear from this world!!

I felt the importance of really thinking about what it is that I am doing now, what I am trying to do, and what influence this has on the world. I realized that I shouldn't just be having fun.

In the summer of 2007, I travelled as a backpacker to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. At that time, I knew of the DRC only as the place next to Uganda that was "a dangerous country that one must avoid". I know nothing and I can do nothing. This feeling bears heavily on me. But I will make a start by studying about the DRC conflict.

I offer my respect to all those who planned and held this photo exhibition. You have given me the opportunity to think about this problem in the DRC that I knew almost nothing about. I felt that Mr. Kuno's photos relate to us something about the essence of this problem that the handout alone cannot.

I think very few people know that the conflict in the DRC is the world's deadliest. I want more people to know about the situation in the DRC, and I also want to know more.

I felt that rather than gathering information, it is more important to spread the word and attract the interest of more people.

That which each individual can do may be small, but looking at what the photographer has done, I realize the importance of doing something. If each one of us can awaken a desire for peace, I think the world can change. That is what I think. Thank you for this valuable time.

I really felt that ignorance is a sin. I will try to learn more.

It is amazing that such a big conflict is so unknown. We really need to demand the media to give us more info about the world! [original English, not translated]

This is in such a different world from mine, so it was difficult to really grasp what is happening. But I want to understand bit by bit the reality and find what it is that I can do about it. I was reminded of how happy the life I am now living is. There are people who are suffering. I felt the need to be conscious of realities that are not well known, and to actively face these realities.

It was shocking to learn that more than 90 percent of death was caused by starvation and sickness. It was sad to see the resignation in the eyes of the person in the photo with the caption, "the environment in which nothing can be done".

The photo of the man who kept on digging minerals as told without knowing what the rare metals he found would be used for left a deep impression on me. There may be the sweat and tears of these people in the mobile phone that I am using every day.

Today I came to know for the first time that this kind of conflict is going on in the world. It has made me wonder about the life I live - being born, growing up and dying in such a privileged environment. I feel ashamed that I accept the information the media gives me without questioning it.

I learned for the first time in detail about the conflict in the DRC. Looking at the photos, I felt deep down the suffering of the people. Especially, the expressions of the mother and the babies sucking on her breasts were truly compelling.

I want to look back on the things I have taken for granted. It is horrifying how such a massive conflict does not get media coverage despite the progress in today's information society. The inequality of the world came home to me as I wondered "If I had born in the DRC and if the 21 year-old (in the photo) had born in Japan…". Thank you for this experience.

Even in the photos, the essence of human beings and the survival instinct can be observed. A number of scenes unseen in Japan-scenes that tell that Africa is still in the midst of conflict, have led me to seriously consider measures I might be able to take in Japan.

Although rarely taken notice of by the media, the situation is calamitous. I was especially struck by the photo of the person who is my age.

It was something I had not heard of at all. Is it because the media does not go to the field? The photographer is doing meaningful work.

As someone who visited Rwanda & Zaire (DRC) several times between 2000 and 2005, the prolonged conflict is very unfortunate and painful. I am also worried about the mountain gorillas, a treasure of the world. May peace come as soon as possible.

The problem is that there are few networks between countries, but there are certainly relationships called conflict. I want developed nations to make efforts to forge stronger relations with African nations.

After having my child, I came to have more interest in conflicts around the world. However, I learned for the first time that the conflict in the DRC is of such a scale and complexity. I want to collect information and take my own action.

Hopefully this exhibition can lead to take actions except information. I believe I'll do. Thank you very very much. [original English, not translated]

Why do conflicts happen? The reason why the conflict continues may be that there are no good reasons to actively try to resolve it. To inform more people of the conflict. To create a big movement to save those in suffering. We need not to give up, but keep on trying.

What is communicated via TV or newspapers is only a small piece of the information that is there. That is what I have fully realized. There are so many "that is wrong" type of facts that are ignored-I feel irate that this is the case. It has made me want more to "change the world".

I have taken for granted the peaceful life, but the photos have made me realize how blessed I am. I want to be thankful as I live my life.

I have learned facts that I would not otherwise have known by living an ordinary life in Japan. I can't find proper words to express my thoughts.

I have learned how ignorant I have been. I have deep inside felt the folly of murmuring "I want to die" in such a blessed life. I do not yet know what I can do, but I want to do something I can.

I have very much felt that what is communicated through TV and newspapers are not everything that is happening.

The remark about "Those who have been embedded in the system lose their humanity" in the closing comment has left a strong impression on me. If the fallen humanity is worsening the DRC conflict, then it might help that they, and we, reclaim our humanity (or, the ability to think independent of the system) in order for peace to come someday, although this seems to be a roundabout approach. Although it might cause pain, I want people in the DRC to know that they (and their humanity) are hurt, without which true peace will not be established. "To know" also challenges faraway Japanese humanity. That is why I want to prove my humanity. Is this not pure??

Coming here has made me realize how fortunate we are. I want to keep my eye on the situation in the DRC.

Because it is so different from the world I live in, I had not really felt the horror of war. Now that I have seen these photos, I feel it.

That such a massive conflict is not known should not be happening. I want people to know more.

The photos of those who are actually suffering from the violence and hunger have reminded me how fortunate the country we live in is. Our own indifferent attitude may also be a type of violence.

I was struck by the reality I had not known at all. At the same time, words cannot describe my feelings as I came to know that I was also part of that reality. I want to look into and talk about it, and also to let people around me know about it.

The eyes of the child who covered his head inside his jacket left a strong impression on me. I want to be someone who can do something by knowing more.

I appreciate the effort that groups as GLOCOL perform for searching and sharing information that traditional media do not cover. I did not have any idea about this conflict before, and I am shock because so many people are dying and the news do not write anything about it. [original English, not translated]

The photos taken by a professional photographer looked artistic and beautiful, until I went close to the photos and found a reality beyond my imagination. It was sobering to read the captions. Especially, I was riveted to the one with the mother with two little children. It is hard to believe that there are people who are in such an extreme condition of life today-barely surviving this very day with a desperate anxiety about their children's future. I have had my own anxieties about child-rearing as a mother, but those anxieties are gone. It has made me ponder. It has made me learn. I hope the passion of the event staff will reach out to as many people as possible.