On Sunday, October 24, three NGOs, members of Cinéma du Sud (CDS), a group of NGOs who raise awareness among the general public on issues related to the countries of the South and development in the world, organized an afternoon of sharing and exchange through the screening of films.

The members of Kindernothilfe, Unity Foundation and Les Amis du Tibet chose to organize this event at the 1535° Creative Hub in Differdange to welcome more than 40 people from Luxembourg City and Differdange. 

The afternoon began with the screening of three short films. Two short fiction films told the stories of individuals in Malawi and Togo who chose to sacrifice their freedom or education to allow a loved one to attend school. The resilience, selflessness and joy conveyed by the characters despite their difficult decision touched each viewer and offered another vision of sacrifice: letting go of something for a greater cause.

The third short film, produced by Les Amis du Tibet, is a documentary about Indian villages hosting young Tibetans who had to leave their country to escape the Chinese dictatorship. To deepen this subject, we had the opportunity to listen to Lobsang Delek, who told us about his escape from Tibet, his life in a Tibetan village in India and his journey to France. To participate in the preservation and the diffusion of his culture, Lobsang Delek sang for us and invited us to dance with him on a Tibetan music.

Lobsang Delek singing a Tibetan chant and leading the whole audience in a Tibetan dance

For the second part of the afternoon, members of the public were divided into three groups to participate in a workshop led by CDS members. This workshop allowed those present to share their feelings on the short films and to engage in reflection and discussion on various themes such as the pain and suffering present in society, the notion of choice and the responsibility of each person to act to participate in the betterment of the world, which depends on the efforts of each person in his or her own environment.

CDS will be back very soon with the closing film of the year 2021 where we hope to see many of you!