RWANDAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER TO INAUGURATE PEACE & LOVE
PAUL RUSESABAGINA TO KICK OFF PEACE & LOVE FESTIVAL
For Immediate Release Contact: Kitty Kurth
May 30, 2012 Phone: 312-617-7288
Paul Rusesabagina is the man whose story is told in the film Hotel Rwanda (2004), which depicts the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, when nearly 1 million people were brutally slaughtered. He was reputed to have saved lives of more than 1200 Tutsis and Hutus, and still continues to fight for human rights. This summer he will inaugurate the Peace and Love Festival in Borlange, Sweden with an introductory talk on June 26. The Peace & Love Festival is in progress June 26 - 30, 2012. This year's theme is A New World. The genocide in Rwanda was one of the most brutal atrocities of humanity in modern times.
The West and the UN received massive criticism afterwards for not doing anything even though they saw clear signs of the escalation of violence in Rwanda, which eventually led to the killing of nearly 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
Paul Rusesabagina was hotel manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in the capital, Kigali. He took over after its European executives fled the country when the violence began to escalate. He saved both Hutus and Tutsis and through his diplomacy and contacts, all of the more than 1200 people who were living at the hotel survived.
“Sweden is the country that one of my heroes, Raoul Wallenberg, comes from. Although my intentions were never to become a new Wallenberg or Elie Wiesel, I am deeply honored and humbled to be compared with them. They set examples for each individual. I am an ordinary man who listened to my conscience and tried to do the right thing. Coming to Peace & Love in the year, which is also a centennial year for Wallenberg, feels like the right thing to do,” said Paul Rusesabagina.
“I think we can create peace on a personal level and I'm sure the organizers of the Peace & Love share that belief. I am honored to launch this year's festival and try to help to lead the way to a New World,”continued Rusesabagina.
Paul started the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation in 2005 to give a voice to victims of genocide and support peaceful actions in Rwanda and worldwide. Paul's autobiography An Ordinary Man appeared in 2006. Paul has won several international awards for his efforts.
Read more about Paul Rusesabagina:
From the movie Hotel Rwanda (2004):
Newscast from Rwanda 1994:
Kitty Kurth
President, Kurth Lampe
444 N. Wabash, #410
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 464-0260 Fax: (312) 464-0262 Cell: (312) 617-7288
email: kitty@kurthlampe.com
website: www.kurthlampe.com
alternate email: kittykurth@me.com
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