Genocide connect: Ansari attends govt luncheon at Hotel Rwanda

Vice President Hamid Ansari today attended a government-hosted luncheon at a hotel here, which had sheltered over 1,200 people during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, an episode that inspired an acclaimed film a decade later.
Incidentally, Ansari paid tributes to the victims of the harrowing tragedy at the Kigali Genocide Memorial this morning and hailed the "resilience and courage" demonstrated by Rwandans in putting behind the hatred and moving ahead on the path of "reconciliation and inclusion".
The coincidence may perhaps serve another healing touch to the victims, as Ansari earlier had said that the purpose of his visit was a "conscious effort" by India to intensify interactions with Africa as a whole, and that "India and Rwanda were great friends".

The luncheon was hosted by the Rwandan Senate President Bernard Makuza at the Hotel des Mille Collines here after the two leaders met and held bilateral talks at the Senate.
The story of the hotel and its manager at that time, Paul Rusesabagina, inspired a Holywood film 'Hotel Rwanda' with actor Don Cheadle playing Paul. The poignant film received critical acclaim and went on to be nominated for three Academy Awards, including for Best Actor.
Inaugurated in 1973 as the first grand hotel of the country, it receiving global attention since the Hollywood movie 'Hotel Rwanda' released in 2004. The French named multi-storied hotel, which means hotel of a thousand mountains, offers breathtaking views over the hills of Kigali.

Rwanda is nicknamed as the 'land of a thousand hills'.

"The hotel ownership has changed hands but people still remember this place especially after the film came out. And, though the movie was shot in South Africa, the story portrayed was real. And, now with Indian Vice President having visited it in official capacity, I think it makes the place further memorable," said a staff of another hotel opposite to Hotel des Mille Collines.
Delhi-born Aniket, who spent part of his childhood in Rwanda and India, but now lives in Kigali, says, the hotel is a tourist attraction, and "everyone visiting Kigali asks for it. The film made it even made the memories in people's consciousness stronger about the genocide that took place in Rwanda".

"So, people, go see the genocide memorial to learn about the tragedy and then enquire about this hotel. Now, It has an official India connection too after it hosted the Vice President," he said.
The site, opened in 2004, commemorates a genocidal mass slaughter of Tutsi in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority government in 1994 that has left people with painful memories.