The Center for Social Responsibility at American University will host its 2010 Making Your Matter Media Conference next week in Washington, DC. A number of luminaries will be attending. Panels will feature creative artists, filmmakers, social entrepreneurs, and funders. The only thing that’s missing from this year’s conference: video games.
When will folks start including gamers in the discussion? It’s a multibillion dollar industry with an engaged audience. A Swiss study found that several games allow players to openly violate war crimes. Other organizations such as Breakthrough have created video games to teach about human rights. Oh well, next time.
–Deji Olukotun
A film festival celebrating the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela will be held in Cape Town, South Africa this February. A number of cutting edge documentaries will be screened at FreeatLast, featuring everything from the international movement to stop apartheid to Mandela’s own boxing workout routine.
Mandela is a modern day hero — he affirmed his beliefs in the face of events that should have filled him with doubt — and helped avert a civil war while providing moral guidance to a re-birthed nation. His achievements have been celebrated time and again in film and fiction, most recently in Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. (Two Americans, obviously.)
But the world will be watching South Africa closely in 2010. How much has changed since Mandela left office? Did he have any flaws? Some argue that the Nobel Peace Prize winner provided symbolic leadership while his successor, Thabo Mbeki, had to get down to the dirty work of nation building. What has changed? What remains to be done?
Mandela is a human being and I believe that it is unhelpful to fetishize him. For how can you emulate someone who is superhuman? This film festival should serve as a valuable launch pad for a much needed discussion.
–Deji Olukotun
