Idebate rwanda 2014 usa tour report

USA TOUR REPORT 2014 iDebate Rwanda

[...A team of six took part in the USA Tour where they

interacted with more than 1,000 people from 13

cities…]

www.debaterwanda.org

19-Dec-14

iDEBATE RWANDA 2014 iDebate Annual Report

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Copyright © 2014

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in

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TABLE OF CONTENT

1 LIST OT TABLES ......................................................................................................... iii

2 LIST OT PICTURES ...................................................................................................... iv

3 USA TOUR ................................................................................................................. 1

3.1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. 1

3.2 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 2

3.3 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 3

3.4 OBJECTIVES: .................................................................................................................. 3

3.5 FUNDING ...................................................................................................................... 4

3.6 ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................... 5 3.6.1 Travelling .......................................................................................................................................... 5 3.6.2 iDebate Tour Schedule ...................................................................................................................... 5 3.6.3 Schools Toured ................................................................................................................................. 5

3.7 CONSTRAINTS FACED .................................................................................................. 17

3.8 HIGHLIGHTS ................................................................................................................ 17

4 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................ 24

4.1 List of Motions for USA Tour Debates & DiscussionS..................................................... 24

4.2 Articles about iDebate USA tour .................................................................................. 25


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1 LIST OT TABLES

Table 1 USA Tour Schedule ..................................................................................................................... 5

Table 2 List of Motions for USA Tour Debates & Discussion ................................................................ 24


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2 LIST OT PICTURES

Picture 1 Debate at University of West Georgia ..................................................................................... 6

Picture 2 Narrative4 at Harvard University ............................................................................................. 6

Picture 3 iDebate at Mvubu Debates ...................................................................................................... 7

Picture 4 Audience at Perkiomen School ................................................................................................ 8

Picture 5 Debate at Wake Forest ............................................................................................................ 8

Picture 6 Debate at Univeristy of Pittsburg ............................................................................................ 9

Picture 7 Intro on iDebate at Dusquesne University ............................................................................ 10

Picture 8 Debate at Davis&Elkins College ............................................................................................. 10

Picture 9 Presentation at Bates ............................................................................................................ 11

Picture 10 iDebate team at Liberty University ...................................................................................... 12

Picture 11 Madison Vision Series ......................................................................................................... 12

Picture 12 Tour around the Yale campus .............................................................................................. 13

Picture 13 Class visit at Pepperdine University ..................................................................................... 14

Picture 14 Teta Christine at Walsh University ...................................................................................... 14

Picture 15 Debate at Capital University ................................................................................................ 15

Picture 16 iDebate Rwanda team at SMU ............................................................................................ 15

Picture 17 iDebate Rwanda team at Wiley College .............................................................................. 16

Picture 18 Introduction on iDebate Rwanda by JM Habineza .............................................................. 17

Picture 19 iDebate Rwanda team at the US Supreme Court ................................................................ 18

Picture 20 Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg ............................................................................................ 18

Picture 21 iDebate Rwanda team at the G.W. Bush Presidential Center ............................................. 19

Picture 22 iDebate Rwanda team at the Georgia aquarium ................................................................. 19

Picture 23 iDebate Rwanda team at Universal Studios ............................................................... 20

Picture 24 iDebate Rwanda Team at the US National Constitution Center .............................. 20

Picture 25 Visit at the Center for Civil and Human Rights ........................................................... 21

Picture 26 iDebate Rwanda team at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial ......................................... 22


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3 USA TOUR

3.1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

At the very beginning, iDebate Rwanda would like to thank the Almighty God for whose

kindness we were mentally and physically sound for the execution of the tour and preparation

of this report. His neverending grace and abundance for which we are able to execute our

activities is unfathomable.

iDebate Rwanda would like to extend its gratitude to the U.S embassy, Turkish Airlines and

the Rwanda Governance Board for their partnership in providing the team with air tickets.

Special thanks goes to the Rwandan Embassy in Washington D.C for their moral support and

ensuring our travel credentials were in check.

And, last but not least, iDebate Rwanda would further like to extend heartiest gratitude to Civis

institute, our Fiscal Sponsor while in the U.S.



3.2 ABSTRACT

This detailed report consists of the iDebate U.S Tour, an educational tour organized by

iDebate Rwanda in partnership with U.S universities to give six young debaters an opportunity

to share ‘the voices from a post genocide generation” 20 years after Rwanda’s recovery from

the Genocide.

With the main objective was creating awareness about Rwanda 20 years after the genocide

against the Tutsi’s, and the focus was using Debate through U.S universities as a platform of

discussion. Over the course of 10 weeks, this tour embraced 17 university visits from around

both the East and West coast. This tour commenced on the 6th October-15th December 2014.

iDebate Rwanda is a non-governmental youth organization that uses debate as a platform that

sharpens students’ minds by helping them to think critically which in turn builds character

development and fosters social transformation. The iDebate U.S tour managed to get to 13

cities and met over 1,000 students. This tour enabled iDebate Rwanda to create a global and

community network as well as partnerships for Rwanda as a country and the iDebate students.



3.3 BACKGROUND

iDebate Rwanda is a Non-Governmental Organization that is using debate to change the lives

of young Rwandans and East Africans. iDebate Rwanda gives students the tools to change

their own world by teaching them how to think critically, how to solve problems creatively and

how to impact their own society. By taking part in debate, students become engaged learners,

critical thinkers and leaders who are effective advocates for themselves and their

communities. Debate transforms the disengaged learners, those with poor academic

performance into confident students who achieve higher test

Rwanda is a country that is known for only one tragic event that happened 20 years ago. The

1994 genocide against the Tutsis led to the loss of one million innocent lives, destroyed not

only the ability of a Rwandan to trust a fellow Rwandan but also the ability of the rest of the

world to trust Rwanda. While the genocide was raging over Rwanda, the rest of the world

remained silent and abandoned Rwanda to its fate.

Now 20 years later, Rwanda is a new country. With the aim to restore peace and accelerate

the development of Rwanda; it has put in place a vision 2020 to act as a guide in moving

Rwanda to a middle-income country. Since 2000, the vision 2020 has guided Rwanda to

tremendous changes and given a new face to the country of Rwanda. The county that was

once known for murder and destruction is now being known for hope, peace and as a model

of development.

In the same spirit to move forward and restore the world’s trust in Rwanda, iDebate

Rwanda organized a tour in USA high schools and universities. This tour aimed at raising

awareness about Rwanda and how a small debate program for high school students is trying

to bring change by bringing together students from all walks of life to debate and argue to find

solutions to some of the most pressing problems that Rwanda faces. Though debate, students

from different background learn how to disagree in a peaceful way; they learn how to

passionately oppose each other’s ideas without the need to kill each other. In a setting such

as Rwanda, debate is a new culture and the impact is visible not only in the students’

performance and ability to think critically about problems but also in the culture that becomes

more welcoming to peaceful conflict of thoughts and ideas.

3.4 OBJECTIVES:

To raise awareness about Rwanda, 20 years after the genocide against the Tutsis

To create a global community/connection

To create partnership with universities in the USA for cultural exchange programs

To raise resources that would make debate grow in Rwanda and in Africa.



3.5 FUNDING

The tour was a great success due to a number of sponsors that made the tour a reality;

The Public Affairs Office of the USA Embassy-Kigali

Turkish Airlines

Embassy of Rwanda in Washington Dc

Civis institute

Rwanda Governance Board



3.6 ACTIVITIES

3.6.1 Travelling

The iDebate team departed in two groups. Where the first team departed from Kigali on 5th

October and arrived on 6th October. The second team left on 7th October and arrived on 8th

October. This marked the start of the tour within 13 cities and 18 host universities with their

respective teams.

3.6.2 iDebate Tour Schedule

DATE CITY INSTITUTION

OCTOBER

9th-11th Carlton, Georgia University of West Georgia

12th -13th Cambridge ,Massachusetts Havard university

17th-19th Washington, Dc Civis institute

20th-22nd Winston –Salem, North Carolina Wake forest university(team 1)

21st -22nd Pennsburg, Pennsylvania Perkiomen School(Team 2)

23rd -27th Pittsburgh ,Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh

24th -25th Pittsburgh ,Pennsylvania Duquesne University

28th-31st Elkins, West Virginia Davis n Elkins college

NOVEMBER

2nd -4th Lewiston , Miane Bates college(Team 1)

3rd - 4th Lynchburg, Virginia Liberty university(team 2)

5th-8th Harrisonburg, Virginia James Madison University

9th-12th New Haven, Connecticut Yale College

15th -18th Malibu, California Pepperdine university

19th-23rd North Canton, Ohio Walsh university

24th-25th Columbus ,Ohio Capital university

DECEMBER

2nd Denton, Texas University of North Texas

2nd -4th Dallas, Texas South Methodist University

4th Marshall ,Texas Wiley College

Table 1 USA Tour Schedule

3.6.3 Schools Toured

UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

The tour commenced from Georgia, at the University of West Georgia from the 9th – 11th

October and the team was hosted by Dr. Michael Hester the Director of Debate, together with

his amazing team that comprised of Taylor Bryant, the communications specialist for university

communications and marketing as well as students from UWG Debate.



Picture 1 Debate at University of West Georgia

The team spent an amazing time at UWG and had a debate with the resolution as “On balance,

foreign aid has done more harm than good.” The UWG debaters were Monique Hyman and

Osayame Gaius –Obaseki who debated the affirmative against Irebe Kassy and Ivan

Magwene.

The event was attended by more than 200 students, staff and members of the concinnity at

Carlton. Irebe Kassy was awarded a scholarship by Dr. Michael Hester after an amazing

debate attended by 200 students.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Picture 2 Narrative4 at Harvard University

Harvard was one of the amazing places the team was eager to visit. The team was hosted by

David Herman, Captain of Harvard Debate council. Both teams went through story telling in



partnership with Narrative4, a global organization that promotes empathy through the

exchange of stories. The iDebate team exchanged stories of a post genocide generation that

included stories of triumph, hope and great dreams. 20 students attended the event with Dr.

Charles Mironko, a Non-resident fellow at the Hutchins center for African and African American

Research. He talked about his works on rebuilding Rwanda and the essence of peace building

in a post genocide generation.

MVUBU DEBATES

Picture 3 iDebate at Mvubu Debates

The Mvubu Debates held by the Civis institute annually in Washington DC was also an

extraordinary opportunity for the team to debate on the crucial topic, “The South African Truth

and Reconciliation Commission is a more desirable model for transitional justice.” Kevin

Bertram the Executive Director of the Civis Institute hosted the team. The tournament took

place at the George Washington University with 22 Teams participating including a team from

South Africa and a team from Great Britain (U.K). iDebate Rwanda had the opportunity to

debate with a result of two wins out of four within the preliminary rounds .The debate had a

number of judges such as :

Yvette Nyombayire Rugasaguhunga second counselor at the embassy of Rwanda in

Washington DC,

Brown Reginald Partner at WilmerHale,

Araia, Semhar founder and Executive Director of the Diaspora African Women’s

Network (DAW)



PERKIOMEN SCHOOL

Picture 4 Audience at Perkiomen School

The IDebate team managed to make a split with team two visiting Perkiomen School in

Pennsburg. Paige Longstreth, Director of Service Learning and Community Outreach hosted

the team. The team debated on the motion “The U.S should adopt Rwanda’s quota system for

women in politics.” The debaters said the quota system would encourage women

empowerment considering a high number of educated women in the U.S. The debate was

attended by 200 students and administrators.

WAKE FOREST

Picture 5 Debate at Wake Forest



Wake Forest, located in North Carolina, was yet another exhilarating visit. iDebate was hosted

by Jarrod Atchinson, the Director of Debate, and had one of the largest debate squads

summing up to 100 debaters.

The team had a debate with the Wake Forest Debate Team. “The UN should militarily

intervene in cases of Genocide or dire human rights abuse” with four debaters from both Wake

Forest and iDebate teams. The debaters stressed the fact that military intervention would not

be a sustainable solution since it would hinder instability. The debate was attended by at least

50 students and faculty members.

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Picture 6 Debate at Univeristy of Pittsburg

Pittsburgh widely known for Steelers, a National Football League Team, and the Cathedral of

Learning was another exciting visit. The team was hosted by Taylor Hahn, the Public Debate

Assistant. The team went for a debate against the Pittsburgh debate team.” The U.S should

adopt Rwanda’s Quota system for women in politics.” With a turn up of 30 students, one of

the important facts focused on were the percentage of women in legislatures within both

countries. The U.S made up 18.4% of women in congress whereas Rwanda made up 64% of

women in parliament. The audience mentioned that one of the advantages of the quota system

in houses of legislature is that it would foster gender balance as this would increase women

participation.

UNIVERSITY OF DUQUESNE

Still within Pittsburgh, Duquesne University welcomed the debate team hosted by Dr. John

Rief, visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Communication & Rhetorical Studies. The

team had a debate with the Duquesne Debating Society, with the topic “This house believes



that debate should be a compulsory subject in Rwanda and the U.S”. The speakers talked

about how debate encourages students to develop the culture of reading while also helping

students in getting better grades. This was seen as one of the major challenges in schools

within both countries. The debate saw a turn up of 30 students and faculty

Picture 7 Intro on iDebate at Dusquesne University

DAVIS N ELKINS COLLEGE

Picture 8 Debate at Davis&Elkins College

The team had another visit to the home of Appalachian folk music tradition, which was an

amazing heritage for a taste of West Virginia. The team had the pleasure of meeting D&E

advisor of Calliduz Debate Club and instructor of Communication Brent Saindon. The debate

saw an interesting topic “In the aftermath of genocide, forgiveness is more of an important

value than justice”. The iDebate team went against Nouna Anthony, Alex Gaaserud, Kaia



Kater-Hurst and Andrew Carroll. With an average audience of 80, the debate sentiment in the

room called out for justice as a more important value to foster forgiveness in an immediate

post conflict situation.

BATES COLLEGE

Lewiston, Maine welcomed two iDebate members to Bates College, specifically the Harward

Center for Community Partnerships. The team was hosted by Peggy Rotundo (Director of

Strategy and Policy initiatives). With the warm welcome of Dr. Abraham Peck, (visiting

Professor), whose parents survived the Jewish holocaust, the team was introduced to Dr

Alexandre Dauge–Roth, Associate Professor of French and Francophone studies.

The team attended Dr. Roth’s class to talk about the post genocide generation as well as Dr.

Peck’s class on genocide. The team also made a presentation during the civic forum about

debate as an art that provides a platform of peace building as well as sharpens the minds of

a post genocide youth. The forum was attended by 80 people, including various Rwandans

from Maine.

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Liberty University welcomed the team hosted by Michael P. Hall, Director of the Liberty

University Debate team. After an amazing tour of the campus, the team had a debate with the

motion “The U.S should militarily intervene in cases of genocide and dire human rights abuse.”

The debaters talked about the need to instead introduce a unit within the U.N that would be

specifically designed to monitor human rights abuse within countries as this could prevent

outbreaks of wars and genocide. The event had around 100 students present.

Picture 9 Presentation at Bates



Picture 10 iDebate team at Liberty University

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY

James Madison University is named after the famous James Madison hailed as the “Father of

the Constitution”. His vital role as the author of the “United States Bill of Rights” is what makes

the U.S Constitution stand today.

Picture 11 Madison Vision Series

Dr. Michael Davis, the Director of the Debate Team welcomed iDebate to the home of the

“Duke Dog”. The team was invited by the JMU President’s office for the Madison Vision Series

that focused on the story of Rwanda’s recovery through the eyes of a post genocide generation

by using debate for peace building. President Jonathan R. Alger cited “by taking part in Debate



students become engaged learners, critical thinkers and leaders who are effective advocates

for themselves and their communities.” The Madison Vision Series had an estimated audience

of 200 students and faculty.

YALE COLLEGE

Picture 12 Tour around the Yale campus

Hosted by YASA (Young African Students Association) the team had the opportunity to

participate at the Africa Yale week for the Pambazuko, Voices defining a New Generation.

The team showcased stories from a post genocide generation with an audience of 30 students.

The team also attended a Genocide and Ethnic Conflict class by Professor Jasmina Besirevic

Regan, Dean of Trumbull College. The class had around 14 students who discussed with the

team problems facing a post genocide generation and a country.

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY.

Ranked as the most beautiful campus that faces the Pacific Ocean, Pepperdine University

welcomed the iDebate team hosted by Dr. Sarah Stone-Watt, Director of Forensics and

Assistant Professor of Communication. The team had a debate with the Pepperdine debate

on “The U.S has the moral obligation to provide aid to fellow Ebola affected countries”. With

an attendance of over 200 students and faculty, the audience talked about the importance of

addressing the issue of Ebola both in the U.S and the world at large.



Picture 13 Class visit at Pepperdine University

WALSH UNIVERSITY

Walsh University in North Canton Ohio welcomed the iDebate team at the Deville School of

Business hosted by Dr. Michelle Spain the Associate Professor of Business and the Director

for Business Collaboration.

Picture 14 Teta Christine at Walsh University

This visit introduced the team to former Cleveland Mayor - Michael White, Kellogg endowed

Chair in Agricultural Ecosystem Management - Professor Casey Hoy, and Councilman Jeffery

Johnson from Cleveland City Council. They all addressed key issues such as leadership,

mentorship and agricultural developmental projects for the community.



CAPITAL UNIVERSITY

Picture 15 Debate at Capital University

The team was hosted by Stephen Koch who is a Communication Professor and the university

debate team coach. The Capital debate team prepared a debate with the iDebate team at

Capital University.

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Picture 16 iDebate Rwanda team at SMU

Southern Methodist University, home to one of the elite alumnus, Laura Bush, who served as

a former First Lady of the U.S, welcomed the iDebate Rwanda team. Ben Voth, Associate

Professor of Communication Studies and Director of Forensics hosted the team. The team

attended Dr. Ben’s communications class as well as a lecture on James Farmer Jr., a civil

rights activist and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. With the debate topic “The



U.S has an obligation to take the international lead against instances of genocide”, the focus

was on whether the U.S was able to fully understand the nature of problems countries faced

while regional countries had a better chance of understanding cases of genocide surrounding

the affected country compared to the U.S. The debate saw an audience of 30 students and

faculty.

WILEY COLLEGE

Picture 17 iDebate Rwanda team at Wiley College

Home to the Great debaters, Wiley College welcomed the iDebate team to Marshall, Texas

with Chris Madina, Director of Debate as the host. The team managed to share with the Wiley

College debate team the essence of debate in Rwanda. The team was given a tour of historical

sites within the campus such as James Farmer Senior’s house, the main hall and the debate

squad room.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.

The University of North Texas gave the iDebate team a warm welcome by Dr. Brain Lain,

Director of Debate and Associate Professor Rhetorical Studies. The team had an amazing

debate with an audience of 80 students.

The topic “This house believes that in the aftermath of genocide, forgiveness is of more value

than justice” filled the room with a lot of opinions of justice vs. forgiveness being an individual

decision



Picture 18 Introduction on iDebate Rwanda by JM Habineza

The audience came to a harmony that forgiveness is of more value for the transition of a

society but justice would be of a more important value in a post conflict society.

3.7 CONSTRAINTS FACED

During the execution of the tour, there were a number of constraints faced despite the success

of the tour.

The difference in time zones was one of the challenges faced in the beginning of the

tour but the team later adjusted to the time.

The difference in food was challenging to the team as some of the members had

constant would experience stomachaches.

The length of the tour was a bit too long that it affected the finances negatively. The

team could only work within its fixed budget despite the additional expenses.

Minor sicknesses such as constant colds were anticipated due to the change in the

weather.

3.8 HIGHLIGHTS

During the tour, iDebate Rwanda had the opportunity to visit many significant locations. This

was a great experience to not only learn about debate but also the history, art and politics of

the country. This was an epic time for the team to learn interesting facts about the U.S as well

as have fun. The below content will consist of the visits the team managed to carry out.



THE SUPREME COURT

Picture 19 iDebate Rwanda team at the US Supreme Court

The U.S Supreme Court in Washington DC is regarded as the highest federal court in the

United States. It is the final interpreter of the federal constitutional law. It is comprised of the

Chief Justice of the United States, as well as eight Associate Justices nominated by the

President. The team toured the Court Chamber, the spiral marble stair cases and the Great

Hall

CARNERGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL ART HISTORY

Picture 20 Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History increases scientific and public understanding of the

natural world and human cultures. The team toured a number of exhibitions, such as,

dinosaurs and the population impact.



THE GEORGE W BUSH INSTITUTE

Picture 21 iDebate Rwanda team at the G.W. Bush Presidential Center

The George W Bush Institute was founded by former President George W Bush and Mrs.

Bush. It constitutes a library and museum that provides an unmatched resource for the study

of the life and career of the President as well as a better understanding of the presidency,

American history and events of the Bush administration. The team toured the museum to

explore more about the amazing facts above.

THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM

Picture 22 iDebate Rwanda team at the Georgia aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is the world’s second largest aquarium in the world. It serves as an

interesting site that provides more knowledge about the diversity of creatures in the seas and



rivers in the world. The team managed to visit a number of exhibits including the Dolphin Tales,

Cold Water Quest, Ocean Voyager and River Scout.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD

Picture 23 iDebate Rwanda team at Universal Studios

The Universal Studios Hollywood, known as home to all the fantasy in the movie world, got

the team excited. The team explored a number of attractions such as the Studio Tour, the

Transformers 3D ride, Water World and the Mummy.

THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER

Picture 24 iDebate Rwanda Team at the US National Constitution Center



The iDebate Rwanda team was blessed with an opportunity to visit the United States National

Constitution Cemter, the first and only museum celebrating the United States Constitution and

its legacy of freedom. Their interactive exhibits, live performances, rare artifacts and hands on

activities brought the story of “We the People” to life for the team visiting

CENTER FOR CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Picture 25 Visit at the Center for Civil and Human Rights

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum dedicated to the achievements

of both the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the broader worldwide human

rights movement. Located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, the museum opened to the public

on June 23, 2014.

MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL

In the cold of the drizzling rain and snow, the iDebate Rwanda team visited the Martin Luther

King, Jr. Memorial located in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., southwest of the

National Mall. It was a great opportunity for the team. The team was inspired by MLK as one

of the activists and prominent leaders in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.



Picture 26 iDebate Rwanda team at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial



APPENDICES



4 APPENDICES

4.1 LIST OF MOTIONS FOR USA TOUR DEBATES & DISCUSSIONS

INSTITUTION MOTION FOR DEBATE OF DISCUSSION TOPIC

University of West Georgia On balance, foreign aid has done more harm than good.

Harvard University Narrative4: Promoting empathy through the exchange of stories.

Mvubu Debates The south African truth and reconciliation commission is a more desirable model for transitional justice.

Perkiomen School The U.S should adopt Rwanda’s quota system for Women in politics.

University of Pittsburg The U.S should adopt Rwanda’s Quota system for Women in politics.

Duquesne University This house believes that debate should be a compulsory subject in Rwanda and the U.S

D&E College In the aftermath of genocide, forgiveness is more of an important value than justice.

Bates College Debate as an art providing a platform of peace building as well sharpening the minds of a post genocide youth.

Liberty University The U.S should militarily intervene in cases of genocide and dire human rights abuse.

James Madison University The Madison vision series

Yale Voices defining a New Generation.

Pepperdine University The U.S has the moral obligation to provide aid to fellow Ebola affected countries

South Methodist University The U.S has an obligation to take the international lead against instances of genocide.

University of North Texas This house believes that in the aftermath of genocide, forgiveness is of more value than justice

Table 2 List of Motions for USA Tour Debates & Discussion

smudailycampus.com http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/not-just-a-debate-but-also-a-cry-for-help

By MattSanders

Not just a debate, but also a cry for help

Photo credit: Matt Sanders

Check out the Meadows event website, and you’ll surely find something that you’ll want to go to. When I saw that agroup of people from Rwanda would be on SMU’s campus to discuss genocide, I knew that I had to go and I was notthe only one to think that.

Nearly 50 members of the SMU community gathered in an Umphrey Lee lecture hall last Wednesday night to see theSMU debate team take on the national debate team of Rwanda, iDebate.

When people discuss Rwanda, the 1994 Genocide is the first thing that is brought up, and that is what was debated,more specifically what the United States’ role should be regarding genocide. SMU argued that the United Statesshould take the lead when dealing with genocide and iDebate argued that the U.S. should not lead.

SMU graduate and debate member Basma Raza argued that the United States has the military resources to take thelead against genocide, noting how the U.S. has handled the current ISIS situation.

“ISIS was successful because they waited for the U.S. to leave Iraq,” Raza said in her argument. “However, 85percent of ISIS bombings were from the United States.”

Although the United States’ role regarding ISIS has caused controversy, Raza strengthened her argument by

http://www.smudailycampus.com

http://www.smudailycampus.com/news/not-just-a-debate-but-also-a-cry-for-help

http://mcs.smu.edu/calendar/

referencing World War II.

“Look at what the United States did to Nazi Germany. We went in and stopped that genocide,” she said.

To close her argument, Raza used an emotional approach by quoting Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

“Wiesel said that ‘What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor but the silence of the bystander,’” shesaid.

iDebate member Bryan Manzi began his argument by stating the United States lacks timeliness.

“The U.S. doesn’t help until after it is too late, and when they finally do something, they make things worse,” Manzisaid.

Manzi’s tactics worked as he hoped by making the students and guest judges, all U.S. citizens, see things from adifferent perspective.

“Western countries don’t help out of love,” he said. “They just don’t understand. You need Africa to understand Africanculture.”

To strengthen his argument, Manzi showed the audience what the United States really is.

“The United States has no particular culture, just people from various countries. People would be lost and confused ifthey came to Rwanda,” he said.

Manzi ended his argument by saying how the United States should have a presence in the fight against genocide, butshould not be in charge.

“The U.S. needs to focus on itself instead of on other countries,” he said. “They are $17 trillion in debt.”

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It might have been because of the emotion iDebate members had while speaking, or it might have been because ofthe facts that they put on the table, but the judges voted in favor of Rwanda, 2-1. The audience vote was heavily infavor of Rwanda, with iDebate receiving 88 percent of the votes.

iDebate has been on a three-month U.S. tour, visiting 17 of the country’s best schools, such as Yale University andPepperdine University. Ben Voth, director of the SMU debate team, saw that iDebate was making a U.S. tour, and heacted quickly to ensure the team would come to the Hilltop.

“I put in a bid months ago for them to come to SMU, so it’s just fabulous for us to have that dialogue, and it’s reallycool that we’re one of the last stops for them,” Voth said.

iDebate member Bryan Manzi is grateful to tour the United States and sees it as the perfect opportunity to spread theword about Rwanda.

“I get to tell people not only the bad side of Rwanda, but also the surprising side of Rwanda,” he said. “We get to talkabout things that people in Western countries don’t get to hear. We have democracy and we have freedom, it’s awhole different country than what you see on TV.”

SMU debate member Basma Raza believed the debate will give the SMU community a perfect chance to live up to itsmotto.

“Since SMU promotes ‘World Changers Shaped Here,’ having the Rwanda debate team gives us a chance to open

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our eyes,” she said.

After the debate, iDebate members presented gifts to the SMU debate team and to the judges as a symbol of thanksfor the hospitality. Some of the gifts were hand-made baskets. iDebate member Kassy Irebe explained thesignificance behind giving the baskets as gifts.

“We could have given you something shiny like a medal, but that would show that we have accomplished everything,”Irebe said. “These baskets mean that we still have a long way to go.”

Although the debate teams had different opinions during the debate, both teams believed the same idea about whatneeds to be done.

“Regardless of race, culture and religion, the biggest thing we should value is human life,” Raza said. “If people arekilling groups of people, the world should take a stand because human lives matter, no matter what.”

It is not surprising that the Rwandan team won the debate. The SMU team could have every detail about genocide infront of them, but first-hand experience will always be an advantage.

The group that gathered in Umphrey Lee walked away with fuel to end genocide because of the passion the iDebateteam had. It was clear that they were speaking from the heart and not from a piece of paper.

From this story, you would think that these Rwanda debaters have college degrees and years of debating experience,but what if I told you that these individuals were only 14 years old?

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Nearly 300 Attend UWG Debate vs. iDebate Rwanda

by Taylor Bryant

Nearly 300 faculty, staff, students and community members attended the public debate,

UWG Debate versus iDebate Rwanda. The event, hosted by the University of West Georgia

Honors College, was held on Thursday, October 9, 2014, in the Campus Center Ballroom.

Following the debate, the Rwandan debate team engaged in a detailed question and answer

session about Rwanda, post genocide. To view the full debate, visithttp://youtu.be/Sx5X-

fEpyCQ.

Left to right: Bryan Manzi, Kassy Irebe, Dr. Michael Hester, Dadi Niwejye, Christine Teta, Jean Michel Habineza (founder), Ivan Magwene

“It was a fantastic evening, a unique showcase of the intellectual and rhetorical capabilities

of UWG students and the international impact of UWG Debate,” said Dr. Michael Hester,

dean of the Honors College and Transdisciplinary Programs and director of debate. “The

Rwandan national team are tremendous ambassadors for their country, exemplifying the power of debate and argumentation to transform lives and nations.”

iDebate Rwanda is a local non-governmental organization in Rwanda, working to teach

students the power of debate and free speech in a post genocide country. This year marks

the 20th anniversary of the genocide. In its remembrance, iDebate Rwanda is on a two-month long debate tour in the United States.

The visiting team included five debaters: Kassy Irebe, Ivan Magwene, Bryan Manzi, Dadi

Niwejye and Christine Teta. The students range from 14 to 26 years old. Jean Michel

Habineza, founder and international coordinator of iDebate Rwanda, accompanied the debaters.

“Our visit to UWG was a wonderful experience,” said Jean Michel. “We had the chance to

experience Southern hospitality from the UWG Honors College and a lot of love from the UWG campus. UWG has definitely set the bar for all other venues.”

The debate’s resolution was “On balance, foreign aid does more harm than good.” UWG

debaters, Monique Hyman and Osayame Gaius-Obaseki debated the affirmative against

Kassy and Ivan. Following the debate, Dr. Hester was so impressed, he offered 14-year-old Kassy a debate scholarship to UWG.

http://youtu.be/Sx5X-fEpyCQ

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“I was so surprised,” said Kassy. “I thought I was going to faint. All in all, the first stop

(UWG) was certainly worth it. I think that the university is a beautiful place, and I am very

thankful for Dr. Hester.”

UWG was the first stop on the tour of more than 20 U.S. colleges and universities. UWG is

the only school in Georgia and the southeast region to gain a visit from the international

team. Other tour stops include Harvard University, Wake Forest University and New York University.

“The Honors College is proud to have hosted an intercultural activity attended by more than

two hundred and fifty people,” said Dr. Hester. “Witnessing our students engage in

thoughtful conversation about politics, international affairs and how education can prevent

ethnic conflict, it is clear that events of this caliber can help UWG achieve its vision of being the best place to work, learn and succeed.”

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Home > News > UNT hosts debate with Rwanda

UNT hosts debate with Rwanda By Reporter on December 2, 2014

Kaleigh Gremaud / Staff Writer

The UNT debate team and iDebate team from Rwanda discussed whether justice or forgiveness

was more important after the 1994 Rwandan genocide during a debate Tuesday.

No winner was declared in the debate. UNT debate director Brian Lain said his team argued in favor

of forgiveness.

“In today’s debate, UNT affirmed in the topic in the aftermath of genocide forgiveness is more

important than justice,” he said.

IDebate argued for justice after the Rwandan genocide, which saw between 500,000 and 1 million

people slaughtered during the last phase of a civil war that had been raging since 1990. Rwanda

established a special court to handle the trials after several hundred judges and lawyers either fled

or were killed during the genocide, leaving only 50 lawyers to prosecute 130,000 suspects, but that

court was closed under heavy criticism in 2012.

Peace studies and history freshman Abron Hester, political science senior Darrian Carroll and

political science freshman Brett Kramber represented UNT in the debate.

This was UNT’s first time hosting a debate with the iDebate team from Rwanda. iDeabate consisted

of high school graduate Yvan Magwene and two high school students from Green Hills Academy,

Kassy Irebe and Bryan Manzi.

Each debater gave a seven-minute debate to support his or her side of the argument. After the first

four debaters, Lain opened the floor to questions from the audience for 10 minutes. After the

questions, each side gave closing remarks.

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Hester started off the debate by discussing how forgiveness must come before justice. Hester

stressed the act of forgiveness does not make someone forget, but allows that person to be able to

move forward.

“Forgiveness cannot be polluted, and it can only be progress,” Hester said. “Without forgiveness,

there can be no progress.”

Manzi started for the iDebate team, calling Hester’s statements about forgiveness “cute and

adorable.” He said there needs to be retribution on those who committed the genocide.

“Forgiveness doesn’t help on a national level,” Manzi said. “It helps individuals but not the

nation.”Kramber supported Hester’s view that forgiveness stops people from dwelling on the past.

He said forgiveness needs to exist for people to feel as though justice has taken place for them to go

on with their life.

“At some point in the process of justice, forgiveness is required to believe that justice has been

served,” Kramber said.

Magwene took a passionate stand for justice, explaining that justice has more value after genocide.

Magwene said justice is the way to show people that there are consequences to their actions and is

the best answer to ending violence.

“In the aftermath of genocide, you need to deal with the problem from the roots,” Magwene said.

“The only way to deal with the roots is by understanding the problem. The problem is not just going

to drop way to forgiveness or to justice. That’s not how things are done.”

Source: UNT Hosts Debate with Rwanda

Video of the Debate: UNT Debates iDebate Rwanda

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Home / News / iDebate Rwanda Debaters Visit Pepperdine on USA Tour

iDebate Rwanda Debaters Visit

Pepperdine on USA Tour By Amanda Salz on November 13, 2014

Over the past month the iDebate Rwanda debate team has been touring across the United States,

participating in debates and sharing their culture and insight with university students. After spending

some time on the East Coast at campuses such as Yale and James Madison University, the

Rwanda debaters are making their way to Southern California to visit Pepperdine.

The debaters will make a presentation about their organization and their culture and debate with the

Pepperdine debate team Monday at 6:30 p.m. in PLC 125. The Rwanda debaters will visit

Pepperdine from Nov. 15-18. Their U.S. Tour commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan

genocide in 1994.

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The Rwanda debaters come from all over Rwanda, mostly from the capital Kigali, and have a wide

ride range of ages, the youngest being 14, according to professor and debate team coach Sarah

Stone Watt, who has been coordinating the debaters‟ visit to Pepperdine.

iDebate Rwanda is a Non-Governmental Organization committed to promoting debate in Rwanda,

according to its website, debaterwanda.org. Since its creation in 2012, the organization has aimed to

use the tool of debate to improve students‟ problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Faculty Explore the Issue of Global Prostitution

“By taking part in debate, students become engaged learners, critical thinkers and leaders who are

effective advocates for themselves and their communities,” according to the iDebate Rwanda

website.

“Most Americans tend to think about it from the movies like Hotel Rwanda that are genocide

focused, so they‟re talking about „What is Rwanda like now?‟ and also „What role does debate have

in equipping youth to have a role in their society and to advocate for themselves?‟” Stone Watt said.

The event will feature a short film by the Rwanda debaters about Rwanda and their organization,

and a photo exhibit that Stone Watt described as, “Rwanda through their eyes.” After the

presentation, the Rwanda debaters will team up with members of the Pepperdine debate team to

hold a public debate on international aid, Stone Watt said.

Stone Watt said that her goal for the debate is for the Rwanda debaters to show the Pepperdine

debaters a new perspective on global issues.

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“The level of research that we do tends to be so intense sometimes that it‟s hard to think that we‟ve

missed something, so talking to someone who comes from a totally different perspective on some of

these issues or who lives in a country that has a different history with it than we do, I hope will be

eye-opening,” Stone Watt said.

The Rwanda debaters‟ visit will not only benefit the Pepperdine debate team, but Pepperdine

students overall, according to Stone Watt.

Stone Watt said President Andrew K. Benton helped fund the iDebate Rwanda visit because he saw

an opportunity for the whole university.

Pepp Hosts Climate Change Conference

According to Stone Watt, those who benefit from the visit are students at the School of Law, which

has a global justice program that sends interns to Rwanda. Other affected students are Seaver

public relations students and students involved in The Waves Effect, which has completed the

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designs and promoted the event, according to Associate Professor of Communication Denise

Ferguson, who oversees The Waves Effect.

“No matter how much we can learn about a certain topic or geographic area in the world, it‟s not the

same as having someone‟s lived experience,” Elechyan said.

She connected this with Pepperdine‟s ideals of purpose, service and leadership.

Our academic education combined with the testimonies of those from other cultures transcends our

college majors. It gives us the ability to use our skills to become purposeful leaders dedicated to

serving others.

__________

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James Madison University

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Reconciliation through debate

Can civil discourse heal genocidal wounds?

The iDebate Rwanda team visited JMU on Nov. 5 to share how they are using debate as a "tool of peace" in a

country still struggling to recover from the deep and divisive wounds of genocide two decades ago. Communication

can achieve reconciliation and make an impact, the group said during an appearance sponsored by the Madison

Vision Series: Contemporary Issues in an Engaged Society.

“What do you do…when everyone within the post-genocide generation is not a perpetrator, but simply a victim—a

victim to the guilt, a victim to fear, a victim to mistrust and a victim to so many other consequences of the genocide?”

asked Christine Teta, 23, the current president of iDebate Rwanda.

The answer to that question, the team suggested, is to engage in civil discourse.

The first portion of the panel revealed harrowing stories of lives lost, families broken and extreme violence during the

Rwandan genocide, where each narrative highlighted the importance of civic discourse in Rwanda now.

Dadi Niwejye, 26, recalled seeing a corpse for the first time at just 5 years old, and remembered that hugs “always

felt like the last.” During the genocide, he was told to keep his face hidden in order to avoid drawing attention, and at

such a young age he struggled to fathom how the appearance of his face could incite such drastic and chilling

consequences. Bryan Manzi, 14, shared a narrative of a mixed Hutu-Tutsi family being torn apart, while Kassy Irebe,

14, read a woman's letter to a future child about her father being murdered during the Rwandan genocide, a loss she

attributed to something “as futile as the shape of a nose.”

The Rwandan genocide has deep ties in German and Belgian colonialism, the team explained. Social classes existed

based on the number of cows each family owned—owning 10 or more classified individuals as Tutsis, whereas

owning fewer than 10 signified Hutus. The Twa, a third class system, mostly lived in the forest.

When the Belgians arrived in Rwanda, they used a divide and conquer method. “They were fascinated with this idea

of race, so they divided them according to race,” said Jean Michel Habineza, 26, iDebate Rwanda’s international

coordinator. “If you were tall and had a slender nose, you were a Tutsi. And if you were shorter and had a broader

nose, you were a Hutu.” It was an imposed class system based on triviality, but it had enormous implications for the

Rwandese.

“Throughout history, and [using] manipulation, the colonialists supported first the Tutsis and then made the Hutus go

against them,” Habineza said.

Over the course of 100 days, one million Rwandese citizens were murdered. Ten thousand people each day for 100

days - the equivalent of three Sept. 11 attacks for 100 days, Habineza pointed out. And as this was happening, the

rest of the world did not see Rwanda as a location of strategic interest, so it turned a blind eye toward the country.

In addition to enduring the massacre, Rwandese were forced to be neighbors with those who had killed members of

their family, or who had tried to kill them as well.

Habineza asked the audience to imagine the burden that the post-genocide generation is currently filling. “The true

victims of genocide are the ones who were born after the genocide…How are those people going to live together?

[And] not only living together, but engaging one another,” he said. “In our parents’ generation, there are victims and

perpetrators. But in ours, there is no such thing. So how are we going to live together?”

Yvan Magwene, 20, advocated for the power of debate in being part of these solutions. Because silence had been

such a large part of Rwanda’s culture, the government had been able to systematically eliminate Tutsis in Rwanda at

the time. Now, Magwene said, “iDebate Rwanda has acted as a platform for the youth…to exchange ideas, to

discuss different topics and to share stories.”

Teta added, “debate is an art, but it is also a tool of peace.”

Reflecting on the various people who had saved him from being killed during the genocide, Niwejye concluded his

story by suggesting that he’d gotten lucky.

“Why is it that I was not killed like other members of my family? Why is it that today I’m able to smile [and] I’m able to

walk head straight?” Niwejye asked. “I’ll probably never know the answer. But I know God saved me for a purpose,

and I must serve that purpose…The issue is now to figure out what that purpose is.”

Begun in 2013, The Madison Vision Series: Contemporary Issues in an Engaged Society brings scholars, thinkers

and leaders of all kinds to campus for lively explorations of issues facing our contemporary society. The series is

sponsored by the JMU Office of the President and JMU Outreach and Engagement’s Madison Institutes and funded

by donors to the Madison Forever Vision Fund.

# # #

Nov. 7, 2014

By Rosemary Girard (’15)

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iDebate founder Christine Teta on women driven social causes By: COLLINS MWAI

PUBLISHED: September 11, 2014

Women

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Christine Teta during the interview at the New Times offices. (The New Times/ J. Mbanda)

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In a casual conversation, Christine Teta uses phrases like „I beg to disagree‟ or „I am in

full support of that‟ as if she were debating. And this comes as no surprise because

debating is clearly one of the things she cares most about.

Teta holds a Bachelors degree in agribusiness and rural development from the Institute

of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (ISAE Busogo).

The 23-year-old is a co-founder of Idebate, an organisation that empowers young people

through the art of debate to enhance their critical thinking.

So far, over 25 schools around the country have benefited from the organisation.

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In an interview with The New Times, she gives insights on being a young woman with a

social cause. Excerpts;

When was Idebate founded?

Idebate was founded in October 2012; I was still in school in my third year of university.

I participated in debates during my A-level and had undertaken training after school

that nurtured my talent. I tried working with institutions that had trained us to guide

other people but at some point I had the zeal to begin my own initiative that would pass

on these skills. I talked to different people who had the same idea but hadn‟t pursued

them yet. It was around the same time that Jean Michel Habineza (another co-founder)

had just returned from school abroad and together we formed a debate based

association.

How was a 21-year-old girl able to raise finances for a debate organisation?

The finances were mostly our own, we did it voluntarily but eventually we worked with

different institutions. We tried sourcing for funds at some point but it was somewhat

hard to convince people and corporations on the necessity to financially support such an

organisation. Some might have liked the idea but didn‟t see the necessity to fund it.

Of all social causes, don’t you think debating is somewhat strange?

Debate is who I am; it is part of my personality. I love constructive debate. It causes you

to critically think and want to make sense of why some things are the way they are. It is

through debating that you can have intellectual conversations from which you learn a

lot.

I always wanted to give back to the society; I figured this was one way to do so.

If you look at the government‟s priority for the youth currently, they are trying to raise a

well-informed population. From school or formal education, you are only going to learn

what you are taught, but through debating, you share and acquire knowledge.

You gain confidence in yourself and learn by asking „why‟. You learn the root causes of

problems in society which is something women and the youth could use.

But don’t you think that in a way you could be breeding a future generation

of rebellious women?

I do not think it is breeding rebellion or going against cultural norms, if anything it

teaches and encourages a structured way of arguing, you only argue when you have

supporting facts, it doesn‟t seek to wash away culture, if anything it strengthens it. It is

only bringing out facts and not trying to disagree with everything.

Few girls around your age have social causes that they have seen through,

by your light why the hesitance?

I would say it is because of the fear of being challenged; everyone has some good

intentions but the thought that you will be challenged scares a lot of people.

I felt the same way at some point, getting through it was because of how badly I wanted

to give back to those around me.

It is a general challenge for women. The society structure that has placed women in a

position where they have to catch up has brought about a fear to face unknown

challenges and the thought that they are not good enough.

Could it be that they lack the right people to look up to?

They have the right role models; the problem is that few look at what the role models

went through to get to where they are. That doesn‟t mean necessarily trying to replicate

life stories, it is only meant to give insights to the path that it took them to get to where

they are.

Anything in the works at the moment?

We are in the process of finalising a USA tour with the youth member of the

organisation. We are taking the initiative to show how far Rwanda has come 20 years

after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and its effects. It is dubbed “The voices from

the post Genocide generation”.

We feel that as the youth we have to share experiences from Rwanda and spread the

message of hope. It will be a chance to have the youth exposed and brand the country. It

will be a two and a half month tour where we will move around schools and universities

giving talks and debating in different initiatives.

You were juggling between school, your social life and commitments and

your social cause, how did you do that?

It is not easy but it is fulfilling, you can not only rely on school. I was afraid it would

make me inactive. The secret lies in how you arrange your programme and knowing

when to do what. We all have 24 hours a day. It is how you use them.

How do you handle the kids you work with?

You learn in the process, everyday you learn how to handle the kids… sorry students

(laughs). They would kill me if they heard me call them kids.

You have boosted girls’ self confidence through debate but has the social

cause done anything for you?

It has made me a better person. Though it has only been two years, I have learnt a lot of

stuff I never would have learnt elsewhere. I used to think I was only giving to people but

found out that I was the one receiving. If I died today, the community would remember

me for doing something for them.

Davis & Elkins Hosting iDebate Rwanda in Public

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Date Posted: Monday, October 27, 2014

ELKINS - The Calliduz Debate Team of Davis & Elkins College and iDebate Rwanda will discuss “In the

aftermath of genocide, is forgiveness a more important value than justice” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 29

in Halliehurst Great Hall on the College campus. The event, sponsored by Calliduz Debate Team and the D&E

Office of Academic Affairs, is free and open to the public.

“We chose to bring iDebate Rwanda to campus because their message is powerful,” says Brent Saindon,

instructor of communications at D&E and faculty advisor to the Calliduz Debate Team. “Since 2012, they have

done an incredible job in organizing debate leagues for Rwandan students, providing training and teaching

students to be unafraid to speak their mind.”

In addition to the public debate, members of iDebate Rwanda will visit classrooms. The iDebate Rwanda team

is comprised of Christine Teta, Ivan Magwene, Kassy Irebe and Brian Manzi. Jean Michel Habineza and Dadi

Niwejye will accompany the group as administrators.

Davis & Elkins College students who will participate in the debate are junior Nouna Anthony of Charles

Town, W.Va.; junior Alex Gaaserud of Elkins; junior Kaia Kater-Hurst of Ontario, Canada; and senior Andrew

Carroll of Bunker Hill, W.Va.

This is the second year the Calliduz Debate Team and the Office of Academic Affairs has been able to bring

students to campus for a public debate.

“The College has been very generous in supporting this student-led initiative to deliberate on the affairs of the

day in a way that helps to clarify beliefs and value commitments for the audience, rather than making the

issues seem impossibly complex or confusing,” Saindon says.

The team and Saindon are considering plans for additional public debates. In addition, the team has entered

regional debate competitions including ones at Ocean City, Md., James Madison University and the University

of Kentucky.

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“It is great to travel, and a nice reward for students’ hard work, but the debates we sponsor on our campus are

in some ways at the heart of what our organization is about,” Saindon says. “Not only can we involve a wider

variety of students who may not otherwise have time to travel, but we can also reach more students and

members of the community by making the debates public and accessible.”

Related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Davis & Elkins College is located in Elkins, 2 hours east of

Charleston, 3 hours south of Pittsburgh and 4 hours west of Washington, D.C. For more information, please

visit the College website at www.dewv.edu or call 304-637-1243.

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iDebate Rwanda visits Muskie Archives

Public speaking and the art of moving forward

BY ADAM MAUREY

• NOVEMBER 5, 2014

ADAM MAUREY Staff Writer

Twenty years have passed since the beginning of what Bates Professor Abraham Peck called “the

world’s most efficient genocide.” A direct descendent of Holocaust survivors, Peck himself stands as

a testament to the inescapable nexus of genocide. Of course, Professor Peck is but one of many

touched by genocide. Presenting this Monday in the Muskie Archives were the organizers of iDebate

Rwanda, many of whom are descendants and survivors of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

In the crowded second level of Muskie, however, the mass murder of Rwanda’s Tutsi was discussed

only in brief, as an introduction. The mission of iDebate Rwanda is not to grapple with and steep in

the horrors inflicted upon an innocent people. It is to provide the youth of Rwanda a path to

reconciliation with their tragic history. iDebate Rwanda seeks to establish a dialectic between the

silenced histories of both victim and perpetrator and the generation paying for something it was born

into, all through debate.

In a country in which 60 percent of the population is under the age of 24 and 80 percent of the country

lives in poverty, iDebate Rwanda teaches the art of debate to the younger generation, providing a

means to ascend their present circumstances and to address the lasting legacy of the 1994 genocide.

By learning to think and speak critically, these young students learn to question and challenge the

authority upon which the genocide was originally carried out: that of their elders and peers.

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By embracing free speech, these students answer the questions posed by iDebate International

Coordinator Jean Michel Habineza.

“How do these people live together,” Habineza asks rhetorically. “How do we want our children to

live? Who is more hurt [Tutsi or Hutu]?”

Unlike the Holocaust, which ended with many Jewish survivors fleeing Europe to settle elsewhere, the

Tutsi and Hutu were left to live together at the end of the 1994 genocide. How were these peoples,

each with immeasurable amounts of pride, shame, guilt, pain, and memory to reconcile their marred

collective past and productively move into the future? The condition of being born a “victim” or born

a “perpetrator,” a condition felt by many young Rwandans, provides no answers.

In challenging the validity of their own views, as well as those of their peers and history itself, these

future leaders are through debate equipping themselves to see that there is, as Habineza argues, no

measure for pain, that neither Tutsi nor Hutu can fully accept the blame, guilt, etc. left for the future

generations to clean up. The purpose of iDebate is to move Rwanda forward.

Founded in October 2012, iDebate will in a few years have graduated several thousand from its ranks,

many of whom will, and currently do, pursue debate as a meaningful medium for expression and self-

exploration. In addition to hosting monthly debate tournaments in which over twenty-two high

schools compete, iDebate also hosts a series of higher-level debating leagues. In addition to

representing Rwanda through the Kigali Debate League, East African Debate League, and public

debate venues, iDebate Rwanda also hosts a debate camp in which instructors from London come and

work with students intensely with the young debaters.

Although debate as a tool for expression and understanding lies mainly in the hands of the Rwandan

upper classes, the young debaters admit wholly that, in order for meaningful change to ensue, the

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language of debate must begin to include the official language (aside from the colonial remnants,

English and French), Kinyarwanda, or Rwanda’s most spoken language.

Source: iDebate Rwanda Visits Muskie Archives

Video of the Presentation: iDebate Rwanda Bates College Video

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Idebate rwanda 2014 usa tour report

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