Photo by:
In cooperation with Project C.U.R.E. and the Institute of International Education, the University of Denver will welcome His Excellency Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, to Magness Arena on Wednesday to speak about the genocide that ripped apart his country.
“This may be the first time that an African head of state has made a public address in Denver,” said Doug Jackson, president and C.E.O. of Project C.U.R.E. “His is a fascinating story. One that needs to be heard.”
In 1994, Rwanda experienced a 100 day genocide in which 1 million Tutsi and Tutsi sympathizers were slaughtered by the Hutu majority using machetes and garden hoses, according to Heidi Hein, Project C.U.R.E.’s director of communications. In April 2000, Kagame became the first Tutsi president of Rwanda, and the country continues to heal from the effects of the massive genocide.
“How is it that you can kill 1 million people in 100 days and not do anything about it?” said Jackson.
Project C.U.R.E., the IIE and DU are taking steps to rectify the mistakes of the past. By inviting Kagame to Denver, Jackson said that he hopes the event will spark people’s interest to extend a hand and see if there’s something we can do to bring about change.
DU’s President Marc Holtzman, who met Kagame last May and asked him to come to Denver, played an integral part in bringing this “remarkable statesman” to DU.
“He [Kagame] said that the thing he most wanted to do was speak to students,” said Holtzman.
Hein said that there are three objectives to Kagame’s presence in Denver.
First, they are trying to raise awareness about what happened in Rwanda ten years ago.
“The failure to recognize the genocide was one of the most tragic oversights in U.S. foreign policy,” said Holtzman.
Hein said that hopefully, the second objective to provide Kagame with resources and connections in Colorado that will invest in the reconstruction of Rwanda will help rectify that oversight. Project C.U.R.E. has committed to donating $10 million of medical supplies to the country. According to Hein, that many supplies will fill 25X40 foot cargo containers. To date, the organization has already shipped three and hopes to deliver the other 22 containers within the next year and a half.
The third objective will be a call to action.
“What can you do as a student in the middle of the U.S.?” asked Hein. “Well, we want to show that one person can make a difference.”
“There are huge lessons to be learned in forgiveness and community,” said Jackson. “How do you rebuild a community when half of the citizens kill the other half? We can learn a lot from Rwanda and we can realize that there are healing and reconstruction issues to address in our own community.”
The event, which begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, will provide the opportunity to become involved with Project C.U.R.E. and other organizations that are helping to remember, reconcile and rebuild Rwanda. Tickets are free and are available at the Ritchie Center box office. As of last Thursday, Holtzman said, 3,700 people had picked up tickets.
