{Chicago, IL- As Rwanda and communities of the Rwandan diaspora gather to commemorate those killed in 1994, Rwandan youth in Chicago, IL organized a commemoration event at DePaul University. Elodie Shami, the main organizer of the event, in partnership with DePaul’s Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies department hosted the event on the evening of April 13th. }
After an opening note from Queen Rama, a Rwandan student at DePaul University, Fr. Guillermo Campuzano, the Priest Chaplain, started off the event with a non-denominational invocation. He prayed for Never Again to truly become words that the world can live by. He reminded those present that crimes against humanity are still happening around us in the world, as he was himself a victim of this.
Christa Kuntzelman, a representative of the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies program expressed the importance that the program gives to commemoration, because while events such as the genocide in Rwanda and the holocaust might be historical, there are a lot of contemporary cases that are not being addressed properly around the world.
Elodie Shami, the main organizer of the event and student at DePaul University related her academic experience to the history of her country. She called for those present to not confine Rwanda’s history to the horrors of the genocide. She insisted for people to acknowledge and admire how far the survivors, together with a supportive and progressive government have come. She reminded those present of where Rwanda stands as a nation today, exemplary among many in the developing world and western nations.
Annabella Uwineza shared her emotional testimony with those present. Though she was only four years old, she vividly remembers one day in the hundred days. She told those present that, because she knows many in her family who are not alive today, she feels a need to live for them and honor them through her life. She also stressed the importance of telling her story and the stories of many other survivors, because these stories are an undeniable truth about the attempt to decimate the Tutsis of Rwanda.
Kelley Szany, the director of Education at the Illinois Holocaust Museum addressed this year’s focus, speaking about the implications of genocide denial and revisionism. She reminded those present that, while the events that lead up to a genocide are not always linear, there is a logical application of the methods used by the perpetrators, with the end goal of annihilating a specific group of people.
Mr. Gatete Gaetan, the president of the Rwandan diaspora in the United States followed Ms. Szany’s remarks by putting into perspective the reality of the genocide through the testimony of Consolée Nishimwe, a genocide survivor. He urged those present to counter genocide denial and revisionism. He raised the sense of urgency by mentioning events that are happening around the world, where those who aim to mislead the public and alter history are using genocide denial and revisionism.
The emotional event ended with a candle lighting ceremony and the reading of a poem written by Elodie Shami.
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