Connections

"Never again!" is the cry of Paul Rusesabagina, whose story is the basis of the 2004 Oscarnominated film Hotel Rwanda. Rusesabagina was credited with saving the lives of more than 1,300 people during the 1994 genocide in his country.

Rusesabagina received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 for his actions in Rwanda, where he used his influence as manager of the Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines to shelter Tutsis and moderate Hutus from being slaughtered. Humber College brought Rusesabagina to Toronto's Bloor Cinema to educate students in the conflicts of developing countries, and 600 turned up at the sold-out event.

The son of a Hutu father and a Tutsi mother, Rusesabagina had connections with important Hutu military leaders. However, his wife, Tatiana, is a Tutsi, and their children were considered mixed, so he could not escape the country without outside help. Tatiana's mother, brother and sister-in-law, along with six nieces and nephews, were killed in the carnage. Eventually, the Rwandan Patriotic Front helped his family and the refugees escape to Tanzania. He now lives in Belgium.

Following his presentation, International Project Management students Jordan Nott, Kate Landry, Corey Norman and Rasikh Kaleem were invited to have lunch with him the Intercontinental Hotel, along with Vice-President, Academic, Michael Hatton.

"It was great to get to know the man behind the legend," says Jordan, a political science graduate from York University who has traveled extensively in developing countries. Jordan became a student in the IPM program because he wanted to acquire a skill set that would enable him to create change.

"Seminars of this nature expose students to international issues by providing direct access to global leaders and advocates of social change," says Michael. Kate agrees: "I never expected to meet someone of Paul's stature, one-on-one."

"Until you see it first-hand or hear from someone who has been there, you cannot identify with the people," admits Corey. "But you do connect when you hear directly from someone involved. Listening to Paul talk certainly affected me emotionally."

Corey found Rusesabagina to be friendly, kind, and willing to answer all the questions put to him. "He didn't get a chance to eat lunch because of all the questions."

Rusesabagina told the group that he believes his homeland must be ruled by an inclusive government that includes both Tutsis and Hutus. The genocide of 1994 followed earlier ethnic massacres in Rwanda because, he says, feelings were suppressed until they eventually erupted into conflict. Rusesabagina wants to break the cycle through communication: rather than dwelling on the past, he wants to build for the future.

"Paul explained that he wants to open up dialogue between the warring factions and eliminate the conditions and climate that leads to hatred and genocide. He wants them to talk to clean the wounds," says Kate.

Not everyone supports Rusesabagina's message, and protesters outside the Bloor Cinema waved placards and passed out flyers during the presentation. Since Hotel Rwanda brought his story to the world, Rusesabagina has been criticized by some Rwandans, including President Paul Kagame himself, who has called him "a manufactured hero."

Paul spoke about the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation (HRRF), which provides support, care and assistance to orphans and women abused during the genocide. It also provides funding for education, mental health, medical and other social needs of orphans and women refugees, not only in Rwanda but also in other African nations in conflict.

After his talk, Rusesabagina added some questions of his own to the lunchtime discussion. He asked Rasikh, who studied in Pakistan, about the future of democracy and the terrorism that plagues the country. "I liked that this great man listened to what I had to say."

Prior to the lunch, Kate said she and her classmates were well informed on the situations abroad. "But meeting and conversing with someone like Paul Rusesabagina, someone we had heard about and respected, to hear his story, it was just the icing on the cake."