Josiane’s Passion for Peace and Conflict Resolution
Josiane’s Passion for Peace and Conflict Resolution
Josiane Umulinga is a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Her life journey has transformed profound personal tragedy into a lifelong commitment to peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and reconciliation.
Genocide does not happen overnight. It is a gradual process that develops through identifiable stages. Genocide scholar Gregory H. Stanton (1996) outlined ten stages of genocide: Classification, Symbolization, Discrimination, Dehumanization, Organization, Polarization, Preparation, Persecution, Extermination, and Denial. These stages demonstrate how hatred, division, and discrimination can escalate into mass atrocities when left unchecked.
In her memoir, Survived to Forgive, Josiane recounts her personal experience through these stages and the devastating reality of the genocide. During the tragedy, she lost six members of her immediate family and ninety-eight members of her extended family. The Genocide against the Tutsi claimed the lives of more than one million innocent people and left lasting scars on Rwanda and the world.
As a survivor, Josiane witnessed the devastating consequences of division and hatred. Having endured unimaginable suffering, including being held with her family under life-threatening conditions, she continually sought to understand why God had preserved her life. Through prayer and reflection, she discovered a calling: to help prevent future conflicts and empower the next generation to become agents of peace.
Today, Josiane dedicates her life to teaching conflict prevention, reconciliation, patriotism, and peaceful coexistence. She believes that every individual is created by God with a unique purpose and that societies flourish when people focus on their shared humanity rather than their differences. Through her writing, speaking engagements, peace initiatives, and mentorship programs, she seeks to inspire young people to reject hatred, embrace forgiveness, and build communities founded on justice, unity, and hope.
Josiane’s mission is simple yet profound: to ensure that the lessons of the past become the foundation for a more peaceful future.
