Rwandan Genocide Workshop

Bingham Toot Hill School pupils learn about Rwandan genocide (Religion, Philosophy & Ethics - 30/06/2014)

Students at a Bingham school learnt about the Rwandan genocide, two decades after it took place.

Philosophy and ethics students at Toot Hill School were selected to take part in a workshop run by the Aegis Trust, an international organisation based at the Holocaust Centre, Laxton, which works to prevent genocide.

The workshop was held 20 years after more than a million Rwandans were killed in a 100-day period from April to July.

Pupils aged 14 to 17, in years ten and 12, focused on the importance of tackling intolerance and prejudice, looked at the actions that led to the events and how it was allowed to happen.

They looked at how Rwanda had moved on and reflected on what they could do to ensure such a thing did not happen again.

They recorded a message for the government and those directly involved in the conflict as part of the organisation’s project, A Million Voices.

Philosophy and ethics teacher Sherrie Docherty said the project aimed to make young people aware of genocides that have taken place since the Holocaust.

“It is very important that we empower young people today to make a positive difference in their world,” she said.

“If we are to stop events like this happening again, the world must educate its children about events like these.

“Genocide is a sensitive topic to teach but we cannot ignore it.

“In the course of 100 days, one million Rwandan people lost their lives — that is more than one person every ten seconds and 40% of those people were children.

“That is a reality and people need to be made aware of that.”