Remembering Rwanda, an event organised by the University’s Human Rights Society, hosted talks by His Excellency Williams Nkurunziza, Rwandan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Alex Ntung, an international peacemaker and academic expert on conflict, genocide and reconciliation in the Great Lakes Region, on the causes and outcomes of the 1994 tragedy, which resulted in over a million people being killed.

Both distinguished guests professed their gratitude to the University of Bedfordshire, and the University’s Human Rights Society, for their efforts in remembering the genocide in Rwanda. Speaking about his visit to the University, Mr Nkurunziza said:

“The journey from London to Luton today was a pleasure, as I knew I was travelling to a community that cares about Rwanda - care that was not shown by the International community in 1994”.

This was the first formal event held by the University’s new Human Rights Society, which was formed by third year honours students on the criminology and sociology degree programme.

“The events of the Rwandan Genocide formed a key part of the students’ international criminal law course,” explained Dr Helen Connolly, Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology at Bedfordshire, who assisted in the organisation of the event.

“As a result, students were moved and motivated to mark the anniversary and establish a human rights society that would give other students across the University the opportunity to analyse and consider some of the major human rights issues of the contemporary world.”

At the end of the evening staff and students were invited to light the official memorial torch, the Kwibuka Flame, which symbolises both remembrance and the resilience and courage of Rwandans who have worked to rebuild a country that was torn apart during the genocide of 1994.

The event also aimed to raise funds for the human rights charity Aegis Trust, a genocide education organisation that does significant work in Rwanda.