‘Dawn, and as the sun breaks through the piercing chill of night on the plains outside Korem, it lights up a biblical famine, now, in the 20th century. This place, say workers here, is the closest thing to hell on earth.’
With these words and their accompanying images, BBC journalist Michael Buerk and cameraman Mohammed Amin introduced one of the world’s most influential pieces of news reporting – that on the famine then occurring in Ethiopia. That report and subsequent events and responses had a massive impact on Ireland’s consciousness and on its role in the world.
10 years later, the Open University and the BBC produced a programme exploring the famine and, in particular its root causes. The jigsaw was developed by Colm Regan to explain the famine many and complex causes.
Produced by: BBC Open University
Date: 1995
Courtesy of Colm Regan
Irish Global Solidarity in 100 Objects is organised by developmenteducation.ie, an online hub focused on learning about the unequal and unjust shape of the world today, and is coordinated by Aidlink, Concern Worldwide, the Irish Development Education Association, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Self Help Africa, Trócaire and 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World.
DevelopmentEducation.ie is part funded by Irish Aid.
