On December 15, the Cotler Institute was honored to host Eloge Butera, a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda who rebuilt his life in Canada after immigrating in 2002. Trained in political science and law, Mr. Butera became a human-rights advocate and public servant, working with the Hon. Irwin Cotler and figures like Roméo Dallaire and speaking widely about genocide prevention and the long shadow of trauma.

Speaking to an audience of Cotler Fellows and Israeli students, Mr. Butera shared and discussed the history of Rwanda, his personal experience during the 1994 genocide and story of survival, and about his life after immigrating. Students then watched the feature film directed by Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain,” in which one of the characters was inspired by Mr. Butare’s life story, after which they discussed questions about memory, victimhood, comparative suffering, justice, challenges of migration, and how people from different backgrounds carry their pain.