President Paul Kagame has reiterated that it’s Rwanda’s moral obligation to combat Genocide anywhere in the world.

He was yesterday addressing students at University of Hartford Bloomfield, United States, during the launch of the Genocide and Holocaust Education Initiative at the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies.

President Kagame commended the University of Hartford for the valuable initiative to educate the younger generation about the importance of taking a stand against Genocide.

"The people of Rwanda have stood up against all forms of injustice and defended human dignity in the past and will continue to do so because our resolve is steadfast. This conviction and our history have made the combat against Genocide and ideologies that support it anywhere in the world a moral obligation for us.”

President Kagame also emphasised the role that Rwanda's history has played in shaping the country's vision for the future as elaborated in Vision 2020.

"The tragedy our country faced revealed a character of the Rwandan people that has been essential in the rebuilding of the nation and in its socio-economic transformation – resilience, vision and ability to reach a consensus. Today, Rwanda’s story is one of a vision shaped by our past and the universal desire for better and dignified lives for our citizens,” President Kagame added.

On the driving principle of Rwanda's Vision 2020, the President explained that the ultimate goal of Rwanda's vision would be a nation of educated and empowered citizens.

"The realisation of our vision ultimately depends on an empowered people, a knowledgeable and skilled population and a leadership that solves problems, delivers services, helps improve living standards and accords all Rwandans the dignity they deserve.”

Following his address, Vice Mayor of Bloomfield, Wayne Hypolite welcomed President Kagame to a luncheon with the business community hosted in his honor.

"Your visit highlights tremendous social and economic progress of your country. We applaud your leadership and efforts in bringing together the people of your country, for them to value each other, to invest in their education, their health and to give the opportunity to be able to continue and to participate inclusively in Rwanda's development.”

The luncheon was followed by an interactive session with Bloomfield business leaders during which the Head of State emphasised the importance of partnerships in achieving Rwanda's goals.

"Our philosophy is working together for everybody benefits,” President Kagame noted.

University of Hartford is an independent university founded in 1877 which offers graduate and undergraduate programs in seven distinct colleges.

The Maurice Greenberg Center’s new Genocide and Holocaust Education Initiative will preserve the memories of the Holocaust and genocides worldwide and help spread the lessons that need to be learned from them. The initiative’s activities will include courses, workshops, public programs, exhibitions, and web-based projects.

Joseph Olzacki, who has visited Rwanda, was named a special advisor on Genocide and Holocaust education at the Greenberg Center.