Join us for this award-winning 50-minute documentary by this Canadian filmmaker about an international group of veterans who are building a village in Viet Nam for children with Agent Orange-related disabilities. Built on a former rice paddy near Hanoi, the Friendship Village stands not only as a symbol of peace and reconciliation, but as a testament to the potential for all people to come to terms with the past, heal the wounds of war, and create a better world.
Following the story of the village's founder, American veteran George Mizo, THE FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE takes us through his experiences of war's horror to the personal transformation that led to the birth of his remarkable village. Working alongside the Vietnamese general responsible for killing his entire platoon in 1968, George and other veterans from the USA, Vietnam, France, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and Australia are attempting to mitigate the ongoing effects of the toxic herbicide sprayed during the war. Their efforts are a powerful example of how average people can still make a profound difference in our increasingly globalized world. As such, the Vietnam Friendship Village has the potential to change not only the lives of the children who live in it and the men who build it, but all who come to understand its mission.
Paul Wicker will discuss his visits to Vietnam and why that is important to us today.
