Blood Diamond is set in the 1990’s when the civil war between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels and the government in Sierra Leone was at it’s height. In the midst of the civil war viewers will be introduced to two African men; Danny and Solomon, who although are both from the same country are from very different backgrounds. The men’s paths cross when they both set out to gain possession of an extremely rare pink diamond. At the same time the men set out on this journey an American journalist, Maddy, is in Sierra Leone to expose and uncover the truth behind the “conflict diamonds”. Viewers watch as these three very different people depend on each other to get what they need in a journey that takes them across rebel territory. Blood Diamond although fictional displays some very real events that alert viewers to the fact that the realities of war are tragic.

Blood Diamond has a complex story line, the writers of the film had good intentions of informing the world about conflict diamonds but at other times you can see where the writers were focused on making a profit. Some scenes were done to give the "box office” effect; after all this is a Hollywood movie. Blood Diamonds puts the war that raged in Sierra Leone on a stage for diamonds largest consumers; Americans to see.

The reality is Blood Diamond is an excellent fictional movie based off of very real facts. Blood Diamond helps us to remember that it is important to be aware of what is occurring in the world and how the decisions we make can impact the world; either positively or negatively. The excellent acting, decent filmmaking, urgent message, and the fact that the writers, producers and directors were bold enough to display this message on the world’s widest and most expensive forum makes the movie worth watching for youth practitioners or anyone who desires to know about events going on outside of their immediate environment.

A few things I noticed from this film that youth development practitioners can apply to all children not just children from war stricken areas are as follows:

Danny is the result of a child who did not get the proper help to deal with a tragedy he experienced as a youth. When Danny and Maddy have a candid conversation about his childhood we learn his parents were murdered in front of him during another civil war in Africa. He later found discipline, love, and gained morals from a corrupt leader in the army who turned him into a diamond smugger. Youth practitioners must recognize what youth without the proper help, guidance, & love after a tragedy can become.

Secondly I learned a child is still a child, no matter whatcrime they committed or what tragedy they have faced. This was evident in the scene when Dia got scared and froze when the government army began to attack. Although he had killed, tortured, and abused others Dia at that moment turned into a scared “boy”, not a man like the RUF commander called him. Practitioners when doing their job must remember that no matter how the youth act they are still youth.

Third, that no matter what tragedy a child experiences that child has the ability to overcome the tragedy if someone invests and believes in them. This was displayed by the small “foster home” that was ran by the man Ben; he had children there whose parents had been killed, who were handicap due to the war, and who at one time had been part of RUF. In the scenes where viewers view the children each child was making progress towards doing better and living a normally childhood.

Finally, we learn from Dia that any child if afforded the opportunity can learn and excel in school. Although Dia was from a poor background his father, Solomon made sure he went to school daily and that Dia excelled. Youth practitioners can use this to be reminded that a child’s background or current circumstance does not determine their future.

I would recommend this movie to youth development

professionals because although fictional the movie

is based off of real events and will help the youth

professionals “think locally and act globally”