FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 04/06/2006

Former Head Of Rwandan Parliament To Speak At Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, Va. — Jospeh Sebarenzi, president of the Rwanda Parliament from 1997-2000, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Monday, April 24, in Cole Hall on the Bridgewater College campus.

Despite having endured losing his parents, seven siblings and numerous other relatives in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Sebarenzi is an advocate for peace and reconciliation. "Revenge is like adding guilt to victimhood," says Sebarenzi. "It solves nothing. At some point, we have to ignore the past and envision the future."

In Rwanda, Sebarenzi rose through the ranks of parliament, eventually becoming speaker, third in power to the country's president. As leader of parliament, he worked to improve the national government, speaking out for parliamentary independence and against government corruption. Forced to resign and informed of an assassination plot against him, Sebarenzi fled to the United States.

He presents conferences on peace, reconciliation and human rights on the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and is a frequent guest on BBC and Voice of America broadcasting to Africa.

Sebarenzi, who teaches conflict resolution at the School for International Training, is pursuing a Ph.D. in peace studies at the University of Bradford in England. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Marlboro College and is writing his autobiography.

Today, Sebarenzi and his family live in Virginia. However, he plans to eventually return to Rwanda.

Sponsored by the Harry and Ina Shank Educational Fund, the program is open to the public at no charge.

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