University of Kigali hosted Professor Dina Porat, a Scholar from Tel Aviv University and Academic Advisor of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial in Israel at a public lecture on 29th June, 2022. The lecture, themed ‘’what is the Holocaust? A Story of a Genocide and its Implications’’ was organized in partnership with the Embassy of Israel in Rwanda and Yad Vashem - the World’s Holocaust Remembrance Centre. It aimed at discussing conclusions and most importantly, lessons from the holocaust, which is the genocide initiated by the Nazi Germany and its collaborators against European Jews during World War II between 1941 and 1945 for the younger generation.
The lecture is the first of collaborations between the University and the Embassy of Israel in Rwanda; following a partnership agreement brokered between the Embassy led by the Ambassador, His Excellency Dr. Ron Adam and UoK during the former’s visit to the University on 22nd March 2022. The lecture was well-attended by staff and students of UoK.
His Excellency Dr. Ron Adam – Ambassador, Embassy of Israel in Rwanda.
In his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of UoK, Professor Robert Rugimbana welcomed Prof. Porat and the entourage from the Embassy of Israel in Rwanda. He expressed his appreciation to H.E. Dr. Ron Adam and his team for giving students and staff of UoK the opportunity to glean valuable insights from the speaker’s rich knowledge in academia and genocide. According to him, such partnerships demonstrate the university’s commitment to providing holistic education to its students and staff.
The lecture began with a discussion of the racial theory and ideology in Europe and the rise of the Hitler-led Nazi Party in Germany to power in 1933. Prof. Porat subsequently touched on the obsessive and imaginary fear of the Jewish people as well as the implementation of plans against the Jewish population in Germany and beyond, following the outbreak of World War II in 1939; the German conquests; Limiting legislation, Identification and Isolation, Forced Immigration; Confinement in Ghettos and the Industrial Murder in Exterminations Camps.
Professor Dina Porat addressing participants at the public lecture
Addressing the participants on ways to mitigate genocides and their impacts, the speaker emphasized the role of major institutions such as churches and schools in shaping young learners to grow up with a positive and ethical mindset which trusts and partners with other people or nations. On this, Prof. Porat commended Rwanda for becoming a centre for multi-national conventions through its membership with international bodies such as the East African Community (EAC) and Commonwealth.
Secondly, genocide-related topics can be incorporated in school curricula from basic levels such as kindergarten and discussed or portrayed in movies and other lifestyle activities highly patronized by the youth to sensitize them about the subject, as is the case in Israel. The lecture concluded with insightful questions from participants and answers from the speaker.
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