RWANDA 94

An attempt at symbolic reparation to the dead, for use by the living

PRESENTATION

This book, and double CD, is a unique artistic testimony to the genocide of
the Tutsi and the massacre of the Hutu opposition, in Rwanda in 1994. It is
based on the play "Rwanda 94" by the Belgian theatre company Groupov, the
fruit of a four-year collaboration between western and Rwandan artists. The
6-hour play has been adapted and transposed into two CDs of music and song,
and a 275-page hardback book (bi-lingual French and English) of text and
images. The essence of the play has been faithfully kept, and the spoken and
sung texts are interspersed with descriptive passages to guide the reader
and listener through the action.

SUMMARY

The book and music will appeal to all those who are interested in the
genocide in Rwanda in 1994. It is a unique testimony, the only artistic
attempt to explore and understand the events of that time, and to look at
the historical and political context, the media treatment, and the human
dimensions of the genocide - using text, images, acting, video, music and
song.It will be of equal interest to readers and listeners.
Descriptive, moving, informative, poignant, beautiful, at times humorous -
Rwanda 94 works on all levels of artistic expression, information, and
emotion.

POTENTIAL AUDIENCE

The potential public for the book is vast. It will go beyond the traditional
music- and book-buying public to reach all persons who are interested in
finding out about the events in Rwanda and the background to them, i.e. a
public concerned by humanitarian issues and international politics.

MEDIA AND PROMOTION

An important media coverage is being carried in France and Belgium
initially, by traditional means (articles in Le Monde, Libération, Les
Inrockuptibles, Le Soir, De Morgen; radio plays and interviews on Radio
France, RTBF; etc.)
In addition, and perhaps more significantly, the book is being promoted
through parallel, but important circuits, and discussions are underway with
international organisations to promote the book, e.g. Amnesty International,
Unesco, and Médecins sans Frontières. (MSF will shortly be announcing the
book in their magazine, which reaches 400.000 readers in France and
Belgium.) Given the potential public for the book, it is essential that
people be able to find it in outlets other than the traditonal record or
book shop. Oxfam Belgium has already agreed to place the books in their
world stores, both in the French-speaking and Dutch-speaking parts of the
country and we believe similar circuits are possible in other countries.
The play itself, which won Belgium's two top theatre prizes for best play in
2000, is touring internationally (France, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium), and
attracts critical success and reviews wherever it goes, thereby helping to
create promotion and interest for the book and CDs.