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Rwandan Genocide Survivor Clemantine Wamariya To Sit On Holocaust Museum Board

Clementine Wamariya - appointed to Holocaust Museum Board

Clemantine Wamariya – appointed to Holocaust Museum Board by President Obama – Nov 2011.

November 17, 2011 – President Obama has appointed Rwandan refugee Clemantine Wamariya to the board of the U.S. Holocaust Museum.

Wamariya survived the Rwandan genocide. She is now an American citizen, studying at Yale University. She is 23 years old and is the youngest person ever and the first born in Africa to be appointed to the Board.

Clemantine Wamariya was six-years-old when the genocide started in her native Rwanda. She lost many members of her family. Miraculously she and her sixteen-year-old sister, Claire, managed to survive but they were separated from their parents. Clemantine and Claire came to the United States in 2000, and Clemantine settled with a family in the Chicago area. In May 2006, the sisters were reunited with their parents for the first time in 12 years on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Today Clemantine attends Yale University. She is also an active advocate for human rights, including amongst her fellow students, and frequently accompanies high-school and university groups to Rwanda to raise awareness on the genocide and its consequences.

Listen to Clemantine Wamariya talking to Renee Montagne about surviving the Rwandan genocide.
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3 comments

1 ngabo ronald { 11.18.11 at 12:21 am }

am so impressed by clementine’s advocacy for human rights,raising awareness on the genocide as well as her new appointment.Keep it up and thank God u survived.

2 Issa Higiro { 11.18.11 at 3:07 pm }

Good Luck Clemantine,
Thanks for your good courage my Good help and be with you always!

3 Desire Martin { 11.25.11 at 10:29 am }

Its by Gods mercy we made it, to all survivors, thanks for the courage Clemantine, you are all that genocide hurtled would want to here. May you live long to tell

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