Campus Invited to Commemorate the Rwandan Genocide at the Walk to Remember

Members of the campus community are invited to commemorate the 1994 Rwandan genocide by participating in the Walk to Remember, scheduled for next week on campus.

The Walk to Remember at Duquesne is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, and is sponsored by the Center for African Studies (CAS). The walks are held annually around the world to mark the anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, remember the victims and support the survivors, and to educate youth to ensure such a tragedy doesn’t happen again.

CAS Director Dr. Gerald Boodoo said he is excited to sponsor the walk on campus and that the event draws attention to the idea that socially constructed divisions can lead to very violent, devastating and tragic consequences. “While it is important for us to assert our individuality, uniqueness and identity, it is equally important for us to assert our solidarity, compassion and kinship with each other,” Boodoo explained.

Participants are asked to gather on Academic Walk at 4 p.m. for a brief prayer and moment of silence. Posters featuring images and information about Rwanda’s history, the genocide and reconciliation will be displayed along a designated path for the walk.

Following the walk, guest lecturer Carl Wilkins, the only American to remain in Rwanda at the time of the genocide, will share stories of his experiences at 5 p.m. in the Power Center Ballroom. Undergraduate students from Rwanda will contribute and respond to his presentation. A reception is set to follow.

According to Boodoo, the CAS would like to extend a special invitation to each of Duquesne’s schools, departments and staff offices—in addition to reaching out to student organizations—to participate in the Walk to Remember. “We hope to have participants from different areas of University life represent their group and carry a placard in honor of those lost,” said Boodoo.

In addition to marking the genocide’s 22^nd anniversary, the event further supports Duquesne’s strategic commitment to a closer relationship with the nations and people of Africa.

“The University’s mission and strategic initiatives in Africa have always been focused on addressing injustice, engaging mutual relationships with individuals and institutions on the continent and creating conditions for members of the University community to further realize goals of global citizenship, compassion and justice,” said Boodoo. “The walk fits right in with the nature and scope of the CAS and the University’s mission to understand and meaningfully engage the continent.”

Co-sponsored by the Division of Student Life and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Walk to Remember is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 412.396.2651 or email africanstudies@duq.edu.