Objectives of the symposium

The objective of the symposium is to examine the historical experience of the Rwanda genocide as part of a broader discussion of the role of news media in conflict prevention or resolution and the abuse of media in vulnerable societies.

While considerable attention has been devoted to the topics of hate media in Rwanda and the international media’s failings in coverage of the genocide, these aspects have never been examined in tandem in a broader review of the role of the media.

We will engage journalists, experts and academics from Rwanda, the African region and internationally in the broader debate about the role of the media in the events of 1994, events that have had an echo in other parts of the continent, in such places as Sierra Leone, Congo and Burundi.

This symposium will serve not only to enrich the debate, but also to strengthen the research community on these vital issues, not least by bringing together working journalists and academic experts from such varied disciplines as communications, international relations and genocide studies.