Immaculée Ilibagiza, speaking at UVM Nov. 11, will offer a poignant glimpse into the Rwandan genocide from one of the few that survived it. As a college student, Ilibagiza survived horrific devastation in her country, where more than 800,000 people were murdered in less than 100 days as a result of the conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes.

She and seven other women huddled silently together in a cramped 3-by-4 foot bathroom of a local pastor's house for 91 days. During this horrific ordeal, Ilibagiza lost most of her family but survived to share the story of her miraculous transition into forgiveness and a profound relationship with God.

“I am so excited to hear the life story of one of the world’s leading speakers on faith, hope and forgiveness. We can all learn from this story,” says Kimberly Allbee, campus minister at UVM’s Catholic Center, a sponsor of the event. “No matter where we are in life’s journey, we all need to be reminded of the power of hope and forgiveness in our lives,”

Immaculée has spoken before a range of audiences including world dignitaries, multinational corporations, college and universities, churches and local school children. She has been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards. She is the author of Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, an international bestseller that has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide and been made into a documentary.

“Students who might be struggling in any way academically, physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually with the challenges faced in college can benefit from Immaculée Ilibagiza’s story. See how a life on the verge of death and despair can be transformed into a life filled with hope and freedom,” Allbee says.

Ilibagiza will be at UVM on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 8 p.m. in the Grand Maple Ballroom of the Davis Center. The event is free, but tickets are required and can be picked up at the Davis Center information desk and the Catholic Center at UVM.

Information: Kim Allbee, (802) 862-8403 or catholic@uvm.edu.