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Remembering Rwanda
From Brighton to Rwanda with love
2004-03-18, Issue 148
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/rwanda/20985
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Rwanda Youth Information Community Organization (rYico) has organised a programme of events in Brighton to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. Click on the link below for more details.
10 Years of Memory
>From Brighton to Rwanda.with love
In commemoration of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide
1st - 7th April 2004
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Thurs Apr 1st 'Collective Reflections'
Hove Town Hall (6.30pm-10pm)
The Mayor of Brighton & Hove will open the week of events followed by a
number of speakers who will come and talk about Rwanda, past & present.
Rwandan Ambassador:
Linda Melvern Author of 'A People Betrayed'
Mark Pallis- Coordinator and Policy Director All Party Parliamentary Group
on the Great Lakes Region and Genocide Prevention will speak about British
MP's reactions to the Genocide (confirmed).
Survivors Testimonies
Lindsey Hilsum - Channel 4 diplomatic correspondent
Dominic Lowdell - Union Coffee Roasters - First exporters on Fairtrade
Rwandan Coffee.
Thurs Apr 1st A Lunch to Remember'
Brighton General Hospital (12pm-2.30pm)
Elm Grove Restaurant will be preparing a Rwandan Lunch for staff and some
patients at Brighton General Hospital. Rwandan dancers will also provide
some lunchtime entertainment! The hospital will cover the cost of food and
have also agreed to give us a donation after the events.
Thurs Apr 1st Fundraising Night
The Volks Nightclub, Brighton (10pm- 2am)
A club night of which all profits will be donated to '10 Years of Memory'.
Fri Apr 2nd 'Inside Rwanda'
Ben Ngabo, Ben Rutabana & Jean-Paul Samputu
The Pavilion Theatre,
Brighton Dome (8pm-10pm)
A night to remember when for the first time ever these nationally famous and
well respected artists will perform together in the grand venue of the
Brighton Dome.
Ben Ngabo's work brings together the roots of Rwanda's musical tradition.
His work encompasses and conveys a message of peace, mutual love and the
fight against social exclusion and injustice. He is currently in Rwanda
managing the National Cultural Centre. Ben Ngabo will be bringing his
Rwandan traditional dancers to enrich his performance.
Ben Rutabana is one of the most popular and successful young Rwandan
artists. He campaigns for peace and unity. He is well known for his first
album 'Imbaraga z'urukundo' and has recently released a new album.
Jean-Paul Samputu is a highly acclaimed Rwandan artist and last year became
the first Rwandan artist to win the 'Kora Award' for the "Most Promising
African Male Artist".
At this event we will also be selling a variety of Rwandan products and
crafts as well as Rwandan Fairtrade Coffee in association with Union Coffee
Roasters.
Fri Apr 2nd 'APE X'
The Pressure Point, Brighton (10pm-2am)
A club night that has generously dedicated a percentage of its proceeds to '
10 Years of Memory'.
Sat Apr 3rd 'Inside Rwanda for Kids'
Children's Music Playhouse, Brighton (12pm-4pm)
Performance and workshop in association with Children Music Playhouse,
working with local schools (Varndean, Balfour, Downs & Dorothy Stringer- all
infant & junior).
Workshops led by Jean-Paul Samputu and Ben Ngabo & dance group and drum
workshop with local workshop artist Tim Davies.
Sat Apr 3rd Film:'100 Days' (produced by Nick Hughes & Eric Kabera).
Cinemateque, Brighton (2pm-4pm)
Two young film makers, a Rwandan and a Briton have teamed up to produce an
extremely powerful and moving piece of cinema depicting the horrors of the
genocide in 1994.
The actors are mainly Rwandan and amateurs, most of whom experienced the
genocide first hand. Set in the southern province of Kibuye, this is a story
of love and betrayal and is a fictional account of a families' experience.
It also contains live footage of the atrocities that took place.
The aim of the film is to spread awareness if the genocide which is still so
remote and unheard of to many people around the world.
Sun Apr 4th 'Igitaramo'
The Sallis Benney Theatre (7.30pm-11pm)
We will be joined by three of Rwanda's top musicians, Ben Ngabo, Ben
Rutabana and Jean Paul Sampatu. The artists will be joined by Martha
Tilston,a Brighton based singer/songwriter who has prepared a song about
Rwanda for the occasion. RED ZEBRA, a local Samba Group will also be
performing. By setting the backdrop of the genocide against music and dance,
people are able to reflect on the past and look to the future in a more
unusual but approachable way and at the same time discover the vibrancy and
colour of Rwandan and culturally diverse music and dance.
Sun Apr 4th Film:'100 Days'
Cinemateque, Brighton (2pm-4pm)
A second chance to see this moving piece of cinema.
Sun Apr 4th -
Wed Apr 7th Making Sense: A Rwandan Story'
Exhibition: Helen Wilson and Karen Kessi- Williams
Brighton Artists Gallery, Brighton (from 5th-7th April)
Making Sense: A Rwandan Story by Helen Wilson: A moving exhibition of
painting, poems and music. Helen's work shows the beauty of Rwanda and the
resilience of its people in the aftermath of a genocide that claimed the
lives of one million in 100days.
Karen Kessi-Williams lives in Brighton. The Washington Post has written
about her work that her photographs are "so lyrical and perfectly balanced
that they are product of an artist with a feel for people". Karen is
currently undertaking work in Rwanda and we are honoured to be able to show
her work at this time.
Tues Apr 6th Film: '100 Days'
Cinemateque, Brighton (6pm-8pm)
The final opportunity to see the highly acclaimed film
Wed Apr 7th 'Candlelit Vigil'
The Friends Meeting House, Brighton (11am-3pm)
To mark the United Nations' International Day of Reflection on the 1994
Genocide in Rwanda, we will be holding a candlelit vigil in the centre of
Brighton. The public will be invited to light a candle in memory of the
victim1994 Rwanda genocide. This will take place against the backdrop of
Karen Kessi-Williams's Photographic exhibition.
Information sheets will be available containing an outline of Rwanda: past
and present.
All proceeds from the week's events will go directly to the Youth of Rwanda
and the Festival of Hope in Kigali which will take place in June this year.
For more information on any of the events please contact us at
rYico2003@yahoo.co.uk, see www.rYico.org, or phone:
Andrew 07957 497 608
Anna 07884 183 684
Vivenie 07767 770 630