How to protect civilians in times of war?

In connection with the screenings of the Fritt Ord-supported documentary film Nowhere to Hide about Iraqi family father and nurse Nori Sharif, Fritt Ord, the Human Rights Human Wrongs Film Festival and Ten Thousand Images invite the public to three debates at the Cinematek:

The struggle for Iraq’s future – Wednesday, 15 February, at 7.45 p.m.
Media on War (in English) – Saturday, 18 February, at 6.30 p.m.
How to protect civilians in times of war? – Saturday, 18 February, at 8 p.m.

About the event: “How to protect civilians in times of war?”
The conflicts in Syria and Iraq are terrifying examples that show how the international community fails to give sufficient help to civilians who are trapped in blankets of bombs and exchanges of fire. We find many heroes in civil society: those who dig people out of bombed houses and buildings, those who transport food, clothing and medicines between bursts of fire and those who to try to rebuild cities that have been totally destroyed.

How does the international community try to help civilians in distress today, and why do we get the feeling that international players are standing on the sidelines? What should be done to help and support civil society when it finds itself deadlocked in the most serious war situations? How can one improve preparedness and do more on the ground when conditions are extreme?

Panel:
Ole Solvang, deputy director of the division for investigating and reporting breaches of human rights in crisis situations at Human Rights Watch.
Cecilie Hellestveit, lawyer, author, researcher, and one of Norway’s foremost Middle East analysts.
Hans Husum, physician specialising war injuries and author of the manual “War Surgery: Field Manual” – a textbook in War-time Surgery.
Manal Alsheik, Iraqi poet and author, associated with the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN)

Moderator: Stig Arild Pettersen, (founder of the podcast “Du Verden!”)

Time and venue: Saturday, 18 February, 8.00 p.m. at Cinemateket

Wednesday, 15 February, 5.30 p.m. at Cinemateket
Friday, 17 February, 1.00 p.m. at Cinemateket
Saturday, 18 February, 4.00 p.m. at Cinemateket

Read more about the Oslo première here.

About the film festival:
The Human Rights Human Wrongs Film Festival is being arranged from 14 to 19 February, and features 25 Norwegian and foreign documentary films of current interest. The debates are part of HRHW Live, the segment of the festival programme that includes debates, exhibitions, etc. The full festival programme can be downloaded here (pdf).