On March 3, 2014, Keene State College Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Dr. James Waller, introduced several hundred students and community members to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States of America, Mathilde Mukantabana. The audience viewed a public conversation between Waller and Mukantabana via Skype in the Mabel Brown Room. Mukantabana shared her experience during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which according to Waller, claimed nearly one million lives in 100 days.

Mukantabana explained her loss and said she lost her parents to the genocide, as well as four brothers and sisters and more than 70 other family members.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” Mukantabana said.

Mukantabana explained what is ultimately important to remember is she and others are all still Rwandans, and that though forgiveness may seem like a luxury, it is key.

In the conversation, Mukantabana also added no government in the world has as much female representation as Rwanda.

She concluded, “It’s forgiving ourselves, you really have to suffer to move forward,” Mukantabana said.

“We have a story to tell,” Mukantabana concluded, “The truth will set you free.”

Kaitlin Conlon can be contacted at kaitlin.conlon@ksc.keene.edu