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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are pleased to
3 honor Paul Rusesabagina for his incredible courage in saving
4 the lives of more than 1,200 people during the 1994 Rwandan
5 genocide; and
 
6     WHEREAS, In the spring of 1994, Hutu extremists took to the
7 streets of Rwanda, systematically massacring their minority
8 Tutsi and moderate Hutu neighbors; after 100 days of slaughter,
9 over 800,000 people were killed by Hutu militias; and
 
10     WHEREAS, During this nightmarish time, the Hotel des Mille
11 Collines in Kigali, Rwanda became a home to more than 1,200
12 Rwandan refugees, who hid in the luxury hotel to save their
13 lives and those of their families; and
 
14     WHEREAS, At great risk to his own life, Paul Rusesabagina,
15 manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines, used his wits,
16 international contacts, and negotiating skills to keep the
17 refugees safe until the cessation of the massacre; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Paul Rusesabagina is the founder and president of
19 the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation, an organization
20 based in Chicago that helps to provide a voice to the victims
21 of genocide and supports peace efforts in Rwanda and throughout

 

 

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1 the world; in furtherance of the organization's mission, he has
2 spoken to large organizations of journalists, educators,
3 students, policymakers, business leaders, and human rights
4 activists throughout Europe and the United States about social
5 justice, human rights activism, and the lessons learned from
6 the Rwandan genocide; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Paul Rusesabagina is the real-life hero of the
8 film Hotel Rwanda and served as a special consultant for the
9 film; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Paul Rusesabagina has been the recipient of
11 numerous awards and accolades in recognition of his incredible
12 bravery; in 2000, he received the Immortal Chaplains Prize for
13 Humanity; in 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of
14 Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, from
15 President George W. Bush; that same year, he was honored with
16 the National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award and the
17 Humanitarian Award from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Paul Rusesabagina is the guest of honor at the
19 48th Annual Governor's Prayer Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza
20 Hotel in Springfield on May 12, 2010; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Paul Rusesabagina's great courage and compassion
22 make him a model for the people of the State of Illinois and

 

 

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1 the world at large; therefore, be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
3 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May 12,
4 2010 as Paul Rusesabagina Day in the State of Illinois to honor
5 Paul Rusesabagina for his incredible courage and his many
6 accomplishments and wish him continued success and happiness in
7 the future; and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to Paul Rusesabagina as a symbol of our esteem and
10 respect.