The Power of Forgiveness: Through the Lens of the Tutsi Genocide | Freddy Mutanguha | TEDxIEMadrid

Freddy Mutanguha reflects on the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda sharing his personal journey of loss, forgiveness, and rebuilding. He discusses Rwanda's transformation from a nation divided by colonial-imposed identities to one striving for unity and peace. Emphasizing that forgiveness is a complex journey requiring time and truth, Freddy illustrates how Rwanda has progressed through reconciliation, education, and the abolition of divisive practices. His talk highlights forgiveness as a path to personal healing and societal peace, offering hope that even after profound trauma, peace is possible. Freddy Mutanguha, CEO of Aegis Trust and Director of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, leads peace education programs. Joining Aegis in 2004, he led the Kigali Genocide Memorial's construction and became Country Director in 2006. Freddy extends Aegis' work beyond Rwanda's borders, focusing on at-risk areas like the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Kenya. Chair of Miracle Corner Rwanda, he empowers Rwandan youth with vocational skills. A survivor of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, he received the Peace award from the Justice and Security Foundation in 2016. Freddy is recognized in the Atlanta Human Rights Museum for his activism. He co-founded AERG, Rwanda’s student survivors association, and served as vice-President of IBUKA. As an External Advisory Committee member of USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive, Freddy lectures globally on post-conflict reconstruction. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx