It is a year since Illuminée Nganemariya was invited to take part in the launch of the Ripples of Hope Festival at Home Manchester, which is due to be staged in May 2021. Last January Covid-19 was just starting to spread from China, and we had no idea how all of our plans would have to be changed for the rest of 2020.
The Ripples of Hope Festival launch was organised by Robert F Kennedy Human Rights UK. Illuminée was interviewed on stage by Dennis Markus from Robert F Kennedy Human Rights about her experience in Rwanda in 1994 and subsequent life. I added to the interview by reading excerpts from Miracle in Kigali.
Sitting here in Norwich at the end of January 2021, one year on, and much older than we were in January 2020, it is so important for us to focus on ripples of hope.
Illuminèe received many kind words of encouragement after the event, when we were selling copies of Miracle in Kigali in the theatre foyer. She was also very pleased to meet actor and singer, Sifiso Mazibuko who performed at the launch.
John Elkington wrote in a blog post ‘Miracle in Manchester‘: “But at least for me, the most moving session of the evening came when Dennis interviewed Illuminée Nganemariya, a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. An intense mixture of unimaginable brutalities, countered by the remarkable story of an amazing woman.”
“I talked to Illuminée afterwards, and her co-author Paul Dickson, bought a copy of the book Miracle in Kigali, and read it in its entirety on the train back to London this morning. The worst – and the best – of humankind.”
For an update on Illuminée, and how she has coped with the various lockdowns, read her interview at Emma Outten’s Folk Features. Click here
You can buy Miracle in Kigali at Allthingsnorfolk.com. Click here
Stay safe