Paul Rusesabagina

Paul Rusesabagina is a Rwandan humanitarian, human rights defender, and pro-democracy leader whose courage during one of the darkest chapters of modern history made him a global symbol of moral conviction and non-violent resistance.

During the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, he used his position, diplomacy, and personal resources to shelter and protect more than 1,200 people from slaughter. His extraordinary actions inspired the acclaimed film Hotel Rwanda and earned him international recognition, including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

In the years that followed, Rusesabagina emerged as a leading voice for truth, reconciliation, and democratic reform in Rwanda and across Africa. Through the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation, he has championed the rights of genocide survivors, political prisoners, and victims of authoritarian rule, advocating for peaceful change rooted in justice and human dignity.

His commitment to human rights and democracy led to his kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment by the Rwandan government in 2020 — an act that drew global outrage and calls for his release from parliaments, human rights organizations, and heads of state. Since regaining his freedom, Rusesabagina has continued his mission to advance democracy, accountability, and the rule of law.

Guided by the conviction that no one should live in fear of their government, he envisions an Africa — and a world — where leaders serve their people, not the other way around.