Dr Patrick Prendergast, the provost of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) declares that what happened in Rwanda during the Genocide against the Tutsis is horrible. He made this statement on this 14th August 2012 while completing his tour to three Genocide memorial sites.

On 12th, August 2012, Dr Patrick Prendergast visited Gisozi Memorial site located in Kigali, on 13th August 2012; his visit was realized at the National University of Rwanda (NUR) Genocide memorial site. The Murambi Genocide Memorial site situated in the south of Rwanda was the memorial visited lastly as the TCD Provost was there on 14th August 2012.

In the interview with NUR media office on this 14th August 2012, the provost of Trinity College Dublin stated that his tour to various Genocide memorial sites enabled him to witness the evidence of mass killings happened in Rwanda. He said: “I am horrified to see what happened in Genocide here. In Europe we read about this Genocide but it is different when somebody witnesses the evidence of killings for instance bodies laid down and historical background of this Genocide”.

In his message to universities’ communities, Dr Patrick Prendergast urged universities to educate citizens to understand themselves and understand others in a way that they can participate fully in understanding the importance of life of their country.

According to the visit agenda of the TCD Provost in Rwanda, there is also a tour to different National parks such as Nyungwe National Park, Akagera National Park and Volcano National Park. Note that the National University of Rwanda has been collaborating with Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin since 2011 when these two Irish academic institutions signed a memorandum of understanding with NUR.

TCD provost signing in the visitors’ book of Murambi Genocide memorial site

TCD provost(Left) and Dr. Pádraig Carmody lecturer in Development Geography-TCD at Murambi Genocide Memorial site

Dr Pádraig Carmody(left),TCD provost(middle)and Prof. Herman Musahara(NUR Coordinator TCD-UCD-NUR)

By Jean Baptiste Micomyiza