Brandeis & Tufts Issue Statements on Paul Kagame's Visit to their Universities

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s visit to Brandeis University this week is part of appearances he is making at several Boston-area universities, including Harvard and Tufts.  President Kagame engaged in a round-table discussion with invited guests and faculty and students affiliated with the Sustainable International Development program at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and the Brandeis University program in Peace, Conflict and Coexistence as well as with Brandeis students originally from Rwanda.

To clarify, this event was not a public speaking engagement and was an invitation-only, academic event.

President Kagame’s visit is consistent with the principles of academic freedom and a longstanding Brandeis tradition of hosting international dignitaries, some controversial, in the interest of scholarly understanding and academic dialogue.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Ellen de Graffenreid, MA, MBA
Senior Vice President for Communications
Brandeis University
415 South Street, MS 136
Waltham, MA 02453-2728
Phone: 781-736-4213

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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

As an institution of higher education, Tufts often invites leaders in public life to campus so that our community of scholars and students can hear first-hand their opinions and perspectives on the important and complex issues facing our global society. Faculty across Tufts bring to their teaching, research, and public service significant expertise in African affairs and issues related to genocide and humanitarian assistance, and many of our faculty and students have been actively involved in research and service projects in support of the Rwandan people. President Kagame was invited to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide and we welcomed the opportunity to hear his reflections on the lessons the world has learned from that tragedy. We also anticipated and welcomed the opportunity for the Tufts community to vigorously discuss those views. We are pleased that the event was well-attended and the audience fully  engaged.

Best regards,
Kimberly M. Thurler
Director of Public Relations
Tufts University
80 George Street
Medford MA 02155
Phone: 617-627-3175