Our event for the day was a visit to the Genocide Archive Rwanda
and Memorial Site in Kigali. In the morning, we arrived and first went into the
building for a lecture about the role of the Archive and Memorial Site. We were able to hear a talk about their process to record testimonies and
obtain documents, and we watched a video clip of rescuers during the genocide.
Their stories were inspiring and very touching. We got a coffee break from
their coffee shop after some more discussion. The coffee shop is run by
genocide survivors, and all the donations (they only take donations) benefit
survivors who need financial help. After the coffee break, we got to see more
about the digital archives, which have a ton of resources and documents (many
of them translated into English already) that will be useful for my teaching. I
plan to spread the word about this site, and if you are interested in learning
more about the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, you can visit it at: http://www.genocidearchiverwanda.org.rw/index.php/Welcome_to_Genocide_Archive_Rwanda
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| My two lunch-mates! |
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| At lunch! |
After that visit, we made our way back to a restaurant we
visited on Sunday, which has a great buffet and a beautiful garden area. I ate
quite a bit, and it was fun getting to know some of my fellow travelers during
lunch conversation.
After lunch, we headed back to the Memorial Site in Kigali,
and we went through the museum and the memorial gardens. The museum had many
photographs, artifacts, and video clips of survivors talking about their
experiences on display. Each section was paired with information written about specific
events and important background information. There was so much information to
take in, and it was a very emotional experience.
Following our visit to the memorial site, we stopped quickly
at the shopping center again. I was finally able to pick up some groceries.
Then we headed back to the house. After a discussion of the day’s events, one
of our male chaperones got his guitar out and started playing Rwandan music,
and he began to teach me how to dance—I don’t have it all down, but I’m getting
there. The other chaperone joined in, and we danced traditional Rwandan dance
for a bit. It was very relaxing to dance and exactly what I needed to refresh
after an emotional day at the memorial.
While Tuesday’s experience was at times very heavy and
emotional, it was a very important experience for me, and the ultimate message
I left the day with was one of hope. More than ever, I feel the need to be an
advocate for human rights around the world, and I feel a stronger conviction to
continue my work in education and social studies with the hope that humanity
will not continue to suffer from such acts of violence and genocide.
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| The fountain in the gardens of the Genocide Memorial in Kigali. |
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