2008 Woodie Awards
Rwandan president receives law degree
Paul Kagame recognized at UOP for rebuilding and helping to end genocide in Rwanda
Royce Santos
Issue date: 4/22/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Reminiscing on the accomplishments of his country and the goals set for the future, Rwandan President Paul Kagame spoke and received an honorary degree presented to him at the University of Pacific Thursday evening, April 14.
During the past 10 years, President Kagame has worked to rebuild, reorganize, reconstruct, and strengthen his country.
Many people around the world have noticed the phenomenal performance in the astonishing, award-winning film "Hotel Rwanda," where soldiers move in the process to stop the genocide in the country that killed an estimated one million Rwandans in 100 days.
General Kagame led the soldiers of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and was then elected president of Rwanda in 2001. Since the genocide ended about 10 years ago, President Kagame has achieved remarkable success in his country.
One of the major contributions and accomplishments of his leadership has been establishing a constitutional committee that wrote a new constitution for Rwanda.
In the recognition of his success, University of Pacific President Donald DeRosa awarded Kagame an honorary doctorate of law.
President Kagame also announced a student exchange program with the Rwandan Ministry of Education and the University of Pacific. This effort will be the first for any American university with Rwanda.
"The program will bring one Rwandan student for every University of Pacific student that attends any one of the six public Rwandan Universities," said Kagame.
The Rwandan minister of education, who also accompanied the president at the event, said, "Not only will American students attend one of our universities for academic experiences, but also take involvement in the country's healing process."
"From the experiences, students can shape their own view of the genocide," he said.
President Kagame and his wife, First Lady Madame Kagame, will continue to lead their country in the effort to assist the survivors of the genocide, AIDS victims, and children.
Kagame has lead his country for the past decade, and under his leadership the country of Rwanda has accomplished a great deal.
Not only has Rwanda completely rewritten a new constitution under Kagame, but it has also established free education for all children, elected women to national office (more than any other country in the world), and are meting out justice for crime-doers of the genocide.
During the past 10 years, President Kagame has worked to rebuild, reorganize, reconstruct, and strengthen his country.
Many people around the world have noticed the phenomenal performance in the astonishing, award-winning film "Hotel Rwanda," where soldiers move in the process to stop the genocide in the country that killed an estimated one million Rwandans in 100 days.
General Kagame led the soldiers of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and was then elected president of Rwanda in 2001. Since the genocide ended about 10 years ago, President Kagame has achieved remarkable success in his country.
One of the major contributions and accomplishments of his leadership has been establishing a constitutional committee that wrote a new constitution for Rwanda.
In the recognition of his success, University of Pacific President Donald DeRosa awarded Kagame an honorary doctorate of law.
President Kagame also announced a student exchange program with the Rwandan Ministry of Education and the University of Pacific. This effort will be the first for any American university with Rwanda.
"The program will bring one Rwandan student for every University of Pacific student that attends any one of the six public Rwandan Universities," said Kagame.
The Rwandan minister of education, who also accompanied the president at the event, said, "Not only will American students attend one of our universities for academic experiences, but also take involvement in the country's healing process."
"From the experiences, students can shape their own view of the genocide," he said.
President Kagame and his wife, First Lady Madame Kagame, will continue to lead their country in the effort to assist the survivors of the genocide, AIDS victims, and children.
Kagame has lead his country for the past decade, and under his leadership the country of Rwanda has accomplished a great deal.
Not only has Rwanda completely rewritten a new constitution under Kagame, but it has also established free education for all children, elected women to national office (more than any other country in the world), and are meting out justice for crime-doers of the genocide.