Reflection:
One requirement of a Global Scholar Student is to run a Unity Day Workshop. Unity day is an annual event the whole community participates in with the intention of learning more about global events/issues and to diversify perspectives. I researched and presented my Unity day with Kaleb Gramsch and Tess Keller . We decided to research the Rwandan Genocide. When looking into the Rwandan genocide the colonial roots of the conflict were blatantly obvious. Rwanda was colonized originally by the Germans, but eventually colonial rule shifted to the Belgians. The Belgians created ethnicities out of social classes (the Hutus and the Tutsis). The Tutsis were preferred by Europeans because of their more Western appearance; this eventually led to tension between the two groups. On April 7th of 1994 the genocide of the Tutsi people in Rwanda began and in a total of 100 days 800,000 people were killed. Of the Tutsi population, 75% were killed by Hutus. Media claims to not be aware of the full extent of the violence, but this is a lie. International governments were informed of what was happening in Rwanda and stood by and watched. Even Belgian government officials did not involve themselves, despite being a pivotal part of the conflict.
Coming into the research of our Unity Day project I had some prior knowledge about the Rwandan Genocide, but I did not fully understand the extent of the colonial involvement in the conflict. Learning about the role of colonial governments in Rwanda did not surprise me, but what I did find alarming was the lack of help from European nations during the genocide. Undoubtedly Rwanda was dangerous and unstable during the summer of 1994, but military involvement would not have been particularly drastic for any large Western country. Although there are valid reasons for not interfering in Rwanda, after researching the genocide I believe involvement in the conflict would’ve been the right decision.
Presenting to my peers about something important gave me a feeling of responsibility. I wanted to give correct information and provide different perspectives about the topic, all while remaining respectful. When working on this project, and when completing it, I felt passionate about what I was doing. I gave people an amount of awareness (however small) about a topic they may not have been aware of previous to my presentation.
During the presentation on The Rwandan genocide there were many members of the audience who were very engaged, but others did not seem thrilled to sit through our presentation. This wasn’t upsetting as much as it was distracting during the presentation. It is hard to remain focused when your audience is (at times) focusing on other things. Luckily I will not need to worry about this during my Global Scholars Diploma project because attendance will be optional. It was a valuable reminder that my presentation needs to remain interesting throughout or your audience will be lost quickly.
When completing my Global Scholars Diploma project I want to remember a feeling of responsibility to my peers. My project will be presented to the community and I want to make sure I am putting my best foot forward when completing my Global Scholars Diploma project. I need to be conscious of incorporating multiple perspectives into my presentation to give an accurate depiction of the nuances of the conflicts I am investigating.