Documentary Summary
This year, for the 28th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Our Past Canada is organizing WE ARE THE HOPE Event, which will be produced in form of Documentary Film to be premiered in person (details will he shred ) also made abailable on this webside.
This time, United for Humanity is partnering with Rwandan Canadian organizations, such as Humura Association, Page Rwanda, and Memory Keepers, assisted by young Canadian Artists, who are coming together to produce a 2 & 1/2-hour documentary film: comprised of artistic performances (music, poems, and plays), testimonies and conversations with survivors of all ages; including elders, the bridge & younger generation – Including children.
Our Past Canada will also invite Representatives from the Canadian & Rwandan governments to participate in the documentary, by offering words of Hope and Inspiration forward.
In this documentary we amplify testimonies of the Survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda and the initiateves of the Rwandan leaders to created to support. We have also included the voices of the young stars , youth of the Rwandan community and friends to deliver messages of HOPE. Be it poets, singer, songwriters, dancers, who unify to ensure that Never Again must be true now and for always.
OUR PAST – Background
Started in 2012, Our Past is an Event, which has created an innovative way of transmitting powerful messages through Dance, theater, Poetry and Drama, and discussion with different local leaders in Rwanda. This approach has drawn thousands of young people to Our Past’s events, where in 2019 more than 2,300 young and old attended our event. Our Past has organized 8 editions and has inspired young Rwandans living abroad, notably in the USA (Virginia, Oklahoma, New York), Canada and China, to organize similar events under the umbrella of OUR PAST. Our Past Canada launched in 2019, Led by Rwandan Youths in Collaborations with the Rwandan Canadian Abroad (RCA-Toronto), with partners from other communities that recently faced genocides and holocaust, such as the Jewish, Armenian, and other communities to commemorate 25th Rwandan Genocide against Tutsis.
OUR PAST CONTENT
- Sick City Entertainment is a youth Run Entertainment company, located and based in the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda.
- Sick City Entertainment started in early 2009; and it’s aim was to promote Art, mostly dance and then the whole Entertainment industry in Rwanda, and mostly to help young people.
Achievements
As Sick City Entertainment we have won several awards, Street Ball 2012, HIA Award in 2013, we have been part of the 2013 biggest festivals, Fespad, Jamafest, and Isaano festival in 2015.
As Sick City Entertainment we have produced several events, among Them:
- Our Past in Rwanda (2012-19)
- Our Legacy (January 2015),
- Inspiration 2.0 (July 2012),
- It’s All About Dance” 2010 to 2015
- Friday Night Baskeball 2016 to 2018
OUR PAST Event
- OUR PAST is an event that happens during the commemoration week of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the week between 7th-April to the 14th-April.
- The name of our event, Our Past was inspired by the message we wanted to get across (wanting to know more as Rwanda’s young Generation). Our mission is to educate Rwandan youth born after or were young during the Genocide about the past and the history of the dark days that our country went through in the past 26 years. It was an idea brought up by Sick City Entertainment, because we saw the need in the youth knowing and learning about the history of the 1994 Genocide against the TUTSI. We strongly believe that as most of us were too young during the genocide it is very important that learn on the Rwanda history in order to build a strong future of Rwanda and Keep in memory the past of Rwanda. We as young as our country we will grow with Rwanda to make it a better place. The first edition of Our Past took place in April 2012, and this coming year will mark our 9th consecutive event.
Objectives
- As young as we are, we want to give a platform to the youth to learn the past of Rwanda and build a better future of the country and the World. We do that in innovative ways that the youth will be interested to participate in which are messages thru dance, music and poetry. The event provides an interaction between young generation and Rwandan leaders that are in different positions.
- We believe art is a universal language, and it is easily understandable for the youth. This is therefore why we chose this means of communication to the young people as we are.
- In this event we encourage parents to talk to their offspring about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and the history at large. We want parents to tell the truth to their children about what really happened so that the history of our country doesn’t happen again or get forgotten.
- We believe that one of the best ways to learn about someone’s experiences is to walk in their shoes. We do that by assisting the Genocide survivors in material or moral wise which will make them feel like they are not alone and also teach us more on the history.
Achievements
- In each edition of our past, we collected funds and items in order to help the less fortunate survivors of the 1994 Tutsi Genocide. In the first 3 years, we worked with a village in Kanombe, by the name of Icyizere, and since 2015 we started working with a Genocide Survivors Village located in Ntarama sector in Bugesera district, We have provided them the collected funds and also take that opportunity to discuss with them in the objects of us showing them that they are not left behind and also for us to strengthen our knowledge on the history. And in 2016 we started renovating some of their old houses, we started with 5 houses and after 2 years and 6 moths we have finished the renovation of all the 5houses 100% and this campaign total cost was Rwf 6,270,000. and we want to let know that the whole amount was raised throught young people (means family, friends and different people on social media).
