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Launch of multimedia documentary marking the fifth anniversary of the Tsunami
Combining powerful imagery by award-winning Reuters photojournalists with eyewitness testimony from four people whose lives were dramatically changed by the tsunami, the documentary reveals the strength of the human spirit in the face of catastrophe. These are stories of compassion, hope and dignity.
"Surviving the Tsunami - Stories of Hope" can be viewed at: http://tsunami.trust.org
Commenting on the documentary Yasemin Aysan, Under Secretary General of the IFRC, said: "The tsunami caused catastrophic and unprecedented damage but also generated incredible levels of spontaneous generosity from ordinary people around the world. We have spent the past five years helping communities to recover and we wanted to produce a true testimony that allows ordinary people affected by the tsunami to tell their extraordinary stories."
Monique Villa, CEO of Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: "This is a hugely inspirational and moving multimedia documentary that reveals the amazing capacity for human beings to overcome immense tragedy. It draws on the unique experiences of Reuters journalists in one of the most harrowing natural disasters of our time and is a celebration of humanity's spirit and tenacity in the face of adversity."
The project marks a strengthened partnership between Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, the world's largest provider of news and information, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world's largest humanitarian organisation.
The launch of the documentary took place alongside the unveiling of Thomson Reuters Foundation's new Emergency Information Service (EIS). The pioneering service has been developed to respond to major natural disasters around the world, with key support from the Red Cross. The Foundation will deploy expert Action-Units of journalists to scenes of major catastrophe where they will seek out, collate and disseminate life-saving information to disaster-struck populations, filling a critical gap in the chain of crisis information.