Aegis conducts and encourages research about genocide to improve the practice of prevention. We work on places where genocide is a current threat, campaigning for decision-makers to help protect those most at risk. Our advocacy involves taking the voices of those at risk to politicians, the media and the public.
Perpetrators don’t usually start with a plan to totally destroy a group of people, but once exclusion becomes policy, a society may be on the road to this.
One of the most important roots for genocide lies in the way people and groups in society view themselves and their neighbours. When one group dehumanises certain other groups that they mistrust, fear or hate, political leaders may fan the flames of mistrust for their own purposes. Breaking the mistrust at a community level, and helping people to avoid being influenced by hate media and radical political leaders, is a key part of Aegis’ work.
Founded by British brothers James and Stephen Smith in 2000, Aegis developed from the work of the UK National Holocaust Centre and has offices in the UK, USA, Kenya and Rwanda, where we have been responsible for the Kigali Genocide Memorial since establishing it in 2004.
