Emmanuel Mudakenga

 Until the age of eleven, Mr. Emmanuel Mudakenga experienced significant upheaval due to violence, beginning with the Rwandan genocide and continuing with the forced repatriation of Rwandan refugees from Tanzania in 1997, which led to numerous fatalities. It wasn't until 2001, when his surviving family relocated to Malawi, that he gained access to formal education. Remarkably, he condensed 12 years of schooling into just 8 years, graduating in 2009 among the top ten students in the nation. He received the award for best science student and earned a scholarship to the University of Toronto, where he studied Economics and International Relations, completing a four-year program in just three years with distinction. He then pursued a two-year master's in economics at McGill University, finishing in just one year. Mr. Mudakenga is the founder of the African Trade Organisation, the creator of Lawn Experts, and a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. Today, he advocates for Rwandan refugees worldwide, addressing the pressing question: "Why don't they go back? After all, it has been three decades since the genocide." 

In this event, Emmanuel Mudakenga will discuss how his book My Father's Son relates to the plight of refugees worldwide and emphasizes the importance of supporting such literature. He will share his personal experiences as a refugee who fled the Rwandan genocide and settled in Malawi.

The event will also feature a reading from his work, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.