Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave these remarks on July 24, 2012 at the Symposium on Genocide Prevention sponsored by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in cooperation with CNN and the Council on Foreign Relations, held at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

This meeting is part of the symposium entitled Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and CNN.

This meeting is part of the symposium entitled Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and CNN.

This meeting is part of the symposium entitled Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and CNN.

The Darfur Genocide Accountability Act of 2005 (H.R. 1424) was a proposed bill to "impose sanctions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and for other purposes". It was introduced on March 17, 2005; the bill did not become law though parts of it appeared in the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R. 3127/S. 1462), that was signed into law in 2006.

New efforts by the Obama administration to prioritize the prevention of atrocities can only make a difference if authorities are able to surmount challenges ranging from bureaucratic inertia to fickle public opinion, write Andrew Miller and Paul Stares.

The White House released this Presidential Study Directive on Mass Atrocities on August 4, 2011. It calls for the establishment of an interagency Atrocities Prevention Board to "coordinate a whole of government approach to preventing mass atrocities and genocide".

Today's arrest of Radko Mladic, accused mastermind of the slaughter at Srebrenica, will help clear the way for Serbia's accession to the European Union and is a step forward for the region, says CFR's Charles Kupchan.

Lawrence Woocher and Paul B. Stares argue that North America and Europe represent a promising venue and springboard for improved international cooperation on the prevention of mass atrocities.

A U.S. House panel's vote recognizing the 1915 deaths of ethnic Armenians as genocide could rupture U.S. ties with Ankara and set back Turkey's own effort to confront its past, writes CFR's Steven Cook.

Listen to CFR's Matthew C. Waxman discuss his recent Council Special Report, Intervention to Stop Genocide and Mass Atrocities, as part of CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy Conference Call series.

Learn more about CFR's Religion and Foreign Policy Initiative.

Listen to CFR's Matthew C. Waxman discuss his recent Council Special Report, Intervention to Stop Genocide and Mass Atrocities, with students as part of CFR's Academic Conference Call series.

Learn more about CFR's Academic Initiative.

Recent events in Darfur raise the familiar question of whether international law facilitates the kind of early, decisive, and coherent action needed to effectively combat genocide. Matthew C. Waxman argues that putting decisions about international intervention solely in the hands of the UN Security Council risks undermining the threat or use of intervention when it may be most potent in stopping mass atrocities.

Michael Gerson argues that in light of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur's refugee camps, the international community faces  a difficult choice: accept President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's decision to expel relief groups, or increase pressure on Sudan's regime at the risk of more short-term suffering and death.

This report by the United States Institute of Peace outlines the specific actions U.S. policymakers can take to prevent genocide, ranging from institution building to international parternships.

The Genocide Prevention Task Force was launched on November 13, 2007 and released its report to the public on December 8, 2008. It was jointly convened by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and the U.S. Institute of Peace.  It was funded by private foundations.  Its goals were: (1) To spotlight genocide prevention as a national priority; and; (2) To develop practical policy recommendations to enhance the capacity of the U.S. government to respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities.

The report, which is entitled "Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for U.S. Policymakers", asserts that genocide is preventable, and that making progress toward doing so begins with leadership and political will.  The report provides 34 recommendations, starting with the need for high-level attention, standing institutional mechanisms, and strong international partnerships to respond to potential genocidal situations when they arise; it lays out a comprehensive approach, recommending improved early warning mechanisms, early action to prevent crises, timely diplomatic responses to emerging crises, greater preparedness to employ military options, and action to strengthen global norms and institutions.

In Monday's roundup: Britain's foreign secretary in praise of liberal interventionism; Obama's task in Darfur; and the other Guantanamo Bay.

Listen to experts discuss the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine with regard to the United States' and other governments' response to genocide and mass suffering.

This session was part of the CFR Symposium on International Law and Justice, which was made possible through the generous support of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.