Stars light candles for Rwanda

Today, thousands of survivors of the Rwandan Genocide lit candles in the Rwanda National Stadium to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the conflict. Celebrities from around the world joined them by lighting candles and taking some time to talk out about the horrific event that took 1 million lives.

In the “Candles for Rwanda” video, important public figures light and candle and reflect. These celebs include Desmond Tutu, Tony Blair, Ben Affleck, Natalie Portman, Nancy Pelosi, Forest Whitaker, Samuel L Jackson, Clive Owen, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker and Sandra Bullock. Many more are scheduled to participate in the coming months.

You can participate as well. For every donation of $10, a candle will be lit in your name and placed in remembrance at mass graves on the grounds of the Kigali Memorial Centre, where 250,000 victims of the genocide lie buried.

All of your $10 donation will go toward education and support, particularly for the widows and orphans of Rwanda. Individuals are also invited to leave a message or upload a video to keep the discussion going. It is our responsibility to recognize that crimes against one group of people are crimes against all of us.

Speak up. Continue the conversation about genocide here and at home. Make sure to light a candle for Rwanda.