Building Bridges Conference

Genocide Awareness: How will history judge us?
March 8th, 2008

Building Bridges is a student-initiated, student-led diversity conference dedicated to addressing the pressing social and global issues of today. This year’s conference will focus on Genocide Awareness: How will history judge us? Traditionally, Building Bridges emphasizes student awareness and action. Oftentimes, the situation in Darfur is considered by many to be an insurmountable tragedy and find themselves asking “What difference can a person actually make?” The goal of this year’s Building Bridges Conference is to provide students a means to be involved, take action, and defeat the notion that one person can’t make a difference in the world.

Keynote Speaker

Paul Rusesabagina
Hotel Rwanda: A Lesson Yet to Be Learned

Paul Rusesabagina

For two months of his life, Paul Rusesabagina held insanity at bay as he watched his country fall into the grips of genocide in 1994. A Hutu manager of a luxury hotel in Rwanda, he sheltered over 1,200 people, including his own Tutsi wife and children, saving their lives at a time when extremists massacred more than 800,000 members of the Tutsi and moderate Hutu tribes in just 100 days.

As the world turned its back on the horrific tragedy, Rusesabagina was one man who saved few among the many lost. Now, through emotionally stirring words, he will share his story first-hand with Gustavus students, in hopes that future events of this type can be prevented. “I hope this will be a wake-up call, not only for Rwanda but the whole international community,” he said.

Tickets

The Building Bridges Conference is held annually at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. The 2008 conference is scheduled for March 8, 2008. The event is free for students, Gustavus faculty and staff. Tickets are required otherwise. Tickets can now be reserved online, or through our brochure.

If you have any questions, contact the Diversity Center at 507-933-7449 or email us.

Schedule

Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College

  • 8:30 a.m. Registration (Information desk, lower level of C. Charles Jackson Campus Center)
  • 10:00 a.m. Opening address begins.
    • I am We Are social justice group performance
    • Keynote address by Paul followed by Q&A.
  • 12:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
  • 1:30-2:30 p.m. Workshops Session 1
  • 2:30-3:30 p.m. Workshops Session 2
  • 3:30-6 p.m. Kids Against Hunger Packaging