SFCG Burundi

Heroes Summit - April 16-18, 2004 - Burundi

Background
In early 1995, shortly after the genocide in neighbouring Rwanda and in the midst of increasing ethnic tensions and violence, Search for Common Ground launched a series of media and community projects in Burundi aimed at reducing ethnic violence and supporting peacemaking efforts. One of those initiatives -- Studio Ijambo -- produces radio programs that promote peace, dialogue, and reconciliation.

Since 1999 Studio Ijambo has produced a weekly program called "Inkingi y'ubuntu" -- "Pillars of Humanity" or "Heroes" in Kurundi. This program tells the stories of Burundians who, during moments of crisis and violence, risked their own lives to save people of a different ethnic group. These are ordinary people who demonstrated extraordinary courage during the country's darkest hours.

Heroes Summit
Studio Ijambo brought together these men and women from throughout Burundi to participate in a historic three-day Heroes Summit in Bujumbura in April 2004. The objective of the Summit was to acknowledge those who have saved the lives of people from a different ethnic group, often risking their own lives in the process. In doing so, they demonstrated a different, more human face of Burundi to fellow Burundians and to the world.

The Summit gave a voice to these heroes, recognizing them as potential leaders and role-models. Heroes from Rwanda, Congo and Nigeria joined the festivities and discussions. They shared their experiences, their vision for the future and made recommendations to promote reconciliation in their communities.

The highlight of the Summit was a moving day-long Ceremony of Recognition. The Heroes were addressed and praised by Burundi's Vice President, the UN Deputy Special Representative for Burundi, the Minister for Reconciliation and the Mayor of Bujumbura. Burundian superstar Kidumu and other artists performed at the celebration. An original song was written especially for the heroes (words below). A variety of activities took place, including visits by small groups of Heroes to various local peace groups, roundtables around issues such as coexistence, justice, truth, forgiveness and reconciliation, identified as critical by the Heroes. Ziggy Marley, son of legend Bob Marley, recorded public service announcements acknowledging the heroes, that were broadcast on Burundian national TV and on the radio.

This was the first event of its kind in Africa and Lena Slachmuijlder, Director Studio Ijambo, described the Summit as a great success. She wrote in a brief summary: "In addition to the invited Heroes, people arrived at the Summit without an invitation because they too had saved lives and had been afraid, until now, to come forward to talk about it... a person whose live was saved, asked to publicly thank the hero who had saved his life... the three guest participants from Congo felt the resonating parallels between their conflict and that of Burundi and Rwanda, and returned home with a desire to organize a similar event in Congo... the local radio stations tossed aside their competitive rivalry with Studio Ijambo to provide superb coverage of the Summit, inviting heroes onto their programs and providing live coverage so that Burundians and people throughout the region could experience the Summit... it was moving to witness the expressions of joy on the faces of the Heroes who had saved lives as far back as 1972, and who had to wait more than 30 years to be publicly recognized for their brave acts."

After the Summit
The media coverage by both Burundian and international media, resulted in over 90 newspaper articles, and several radio and TV programs, ensuring that the Heroes' message reached the largest possible audience within the country, the region, and the world. A document that details their testimonies and their collective vision for the future of Burundi will be published and a video documentary on the Summit is in production.

In the weeks following the Heroes Summit, we have received numerous phone calls and emails from people who have been moved and inspired by the stories of the Heroes. Upon reading an Associated Press article, a high school teacher in St. Louis plans to integrate the Heroes Summit into his World Religions class. A Burundian living in the U.S. was so moved by the event that he decided to mobilize the Burundian diaspora community to support the peace process in Burundi. A woman who has been involved with the stories of "the righteous," those who saved the lives of Jews during WWII, wrote that it is reassuring to know that such people still exist in the world today, and are being acknowledged for their actions.

A letter sent to Studio Ijambo by a Director of a secondary school in Burundi, summed up the feelings shared by many others. He wrote, "previously, to say that someone had saved your life during the crisis meant exposing him to dangers from people from his own ethnic group, who would consider him as a traitor. These good-willed people had to live in the shadows until now, even though their country needed them. The Summit has thus had an immeasurable impact. The world is full of people famous for their bad deeds. But there are others who act with their heart and faith -- but we hardly know them. What Studio Ijambo has done is to take these numerous heroes from the shadows and present them in front of the nation as the genuine flames of peace and reconciliation for Burundi."

Heroes Anthem
You possess the spirit of humanity
The humanity that defines the human being
A limitless spirit
A spirit of goodness
Search for it within you, and you will find it
I know it exists in each of us
You and me we can change the world
By imitating those that I'm singing about today
Those who stood up to fight injustice during the tough times
Those who stood up to combat evil during the difficult moments

They were pillars of humanity
They were an example for you and me and the whole world
Let's all be pillars of humanity
Let's live it, let's live it, let's live it

They defended human rights
They know the value of a human being
They saved the lives of the vulnerable
They protected those at risk
There are those who even lost their lives

With a grateful heart we recognise what they did
We are alive thanks to your goodness
We promise to always follow your good example

Let's all open our hearts
Let the light brighten the world
Let's not wait for tomorrow
Let's rise up to fight injustice
Let us be identified by the goodness
Let's help the poor
Reach out to the orphans
Let good triumph over evil

They were pillars of humanity
They were an example for you and me and the whole world
Let's all be pillars of humanity
The whole world, the whole world, the whole world

Read stories about these heroes

Read summit account from our staff

See photos from the Summit

Listen to interview about their stories
MP3
Real Audio

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