{Ines Giramata a Rwandan student studying at DePauw University in US state of Indiana, Greencastle after realising that she was the only Rwandan in the school, organised an event to Mark the 20th commemoration of Genocide against Tutsi.
Dozens of other non Rwandan students joined her to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi during which a million Tutsi were killed in just 100days.
Giramata successfully organised the commemoration event at the university campus.}
{{Giramata writes;
There were three speakers. A Junior Sociology major Ashton Johnson who talked about how just like many people she had learned about Rwanda from watching Hotel Rwanda.
She said how her parents showed her a different movie Sometimes in April which captured a different side of the genocide. }}
She said we cannot rely on Hollywood movies and media in order to learn the truth however it can be a start point to learning bigger and more beautiful stories such as those of reconciliation in Rwanda.
A senior Conflict studies Major Sandy Tran who talked about her academic experience since she had decided to study conflicts in the world. She said the Rwandan story is a painful story that left many wounds but as she continued to study about the conflicts, she learned of the beautiful Rwanda today which we don’t see much on the media.
She said the international population has a lot to learn from Rwanda and she hoped that as students learned of this other side of Rwanda, they would learn to go beyond media and see Rwanda for what it is and not what was.
The main speaker who is the director of the Conflict Studies department Professor Brett O’Bannon talked about how genocide is a part of a human condition. Human beings are capable of doing evil even those that feel that they cannot turn their heads.
If neighbours could do what they did in Rwanda; a country with a strong sense of community, then it means its possible within anyone.
However, Rwanda is no longer a story of shame, of dead bodies and no hope instead it is a story of a country that has proved the world wrong and shown that you can rise from ash and reconcile to build better future for their future generations.
In the end, I, Ines Giramata, gave a speech about why I remember and why it is important for us to do so. “I am very proud of my country. I know everywhere I go, not everyone will understand why I could be proud of living in a country that had people capable of massacring each other.
But I take this as an opportunity to teach them. I am blessed to have been born in Rwanda, I am a first generation post-genocide Rwandan and this has enabled me to see my country transform into something many believed was impossible.
When I take public transport at home I am not asked for my ethnic group, when I was in school; I was never asked what my ethnic group was.
I look at my ID and this is proof of why I should be proud. My ID card does not identify me in ethnic groups but as a Rwandan. This is what I take pride in.
I do not think the love I have for my country could have been the way it is today if it wasn’t from where we have come from. Instead of trying to change the past, I have been given the opportunity to shape the future.
I have been had the opportunity that many don’t get- knowing what freedom is. It feels great to have something to be proud of. It is amazing to have your country listed as an example.
Why then shouldn’t I work for it to advance even more? Why would anyone give up all the achievements for the sake of petty things like tribal war? Everything that Rwanda is getting everyone is benefiting from.
So, yes I remember, for my family. I remember for my country and even more I remember for the world. If Rwanda can do it, then all other countries can. If I can teach and inspire, then I am sure History would not repeat itself in different places. I remember for humanity.”
During the event, we watched videos of the history of the genocide, we heard about testimonies and also looked at the achievements of Rwanda today. In the end, the students and faculty lit candles of hope for the next generation.
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