A group of 21 teachers from Canada Genocide Education Centre are visiting Rwanda to learn more about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and enrich their teaching skills about the subject. The group comprises high school and primary teachers from across Canada, who teach mainly about the history of genocides, justice and reconciliation. The group on Tuesday visited the Ministry for Justice. “We are here not only to learn about the Genocide but also how Rwanda has been able to recover from the tragedy,” said Rich Hitchens, the founder of the Genocide Education Centre Canada. The group visited various places, including Genocide memorial centres, and government institutions, and met with Genocide perpetrators. “It is so unbelievable how people have been so forgiving. If this happened in Canada, probably most of us would not be able to forgive someone who killed your entire family,” Hitchens added. Justice Minister Johnston Busingye said learning about Rwanda’s reconciliation and rebuilding process is a great privilege. “We are happy to share our past experience with the rest of the world. And showing them how we pulled ourselves from a very difficult situation, by initiating Gacaca court system that played a very significant role in Rwanda’s unity and reconciliation,” he said. Colleen Young, a member of the delegation, said Rwanda’s ability to forgive and reunite for a common goal is remarkable. “To define what has happened in Rwanda for the last two decades is quite hard. I am in awe of Rwandans’ ability to forgive, recover, and reconcile,” she said. Hitchens said that Canada is one of the states with a large number of genocide fugitives, including Holocaust perpetrators and suspects of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “Canada hosts several genocide fugitives. Fugitives from Holocaust, Bosnia, Rwanda...but we do not support genocide or any other inhuman acts,” Hitchens reiterated. The group is in Rwanda for a two week-long study visit. They will leave the country on Monday.
