Jean-Paul Samputu Visits Green Mountain Coffee
Posted by Kristen on 29 Oct 2009 at 2:00 pm | Tagged as: Life In Vermont
“Forgiveness is for you, not for the offender.”
It’s been a little over a week since Jean-Paul Samputu spoke these words at the Green Mountain Coffee visitor center’s Rwandan Storytelling, Song, & Dance: An Evening with Jean Paul Samputu & Friends. And yet, Samputu’s sentiment and story still hangs in the air on campus – heartbreaking and uplifting all in one beautiful moment.
As singer, songwriter, musician, and genocide survivor from Rwanda, Samputu has established himself as one of the most prominent African artists on the world stage; winning the prestigious Kora Award (the “African Grammy”) in 2003. The fact that he has these accolades to his name is more than enough to draw in a crowd on a Friday night, but his words… they keep you there for the duration.
Of course, the night was filled with song, dance, and stories from Samputu, as well as students from the Rwanda Educational Partnerships at Harwood Union High School who ventured to Rwanda in 2008. The packed house gladly danced the night away, celebrating life and new beginnings.
To learn more about the Rwanda Educational Partnerships at Harwood Union High School, click here.
To hear more about Samputu’s campaign of forgiveness, see here.