Jean-Michel Habineza to share Rwanda’s lessons on reconciliation and rebuilding trust during Nov. 10 Fairmont State Presidential Speaker Series

Fairmont State University will welcome Jean-Michel Habineza, founder of iDebate Rwanda, as the next featured guest in its 2026-2027 Presidential Speaker Series. Habineza will present “After Hate: What Rwanda Teaches Us About Memory, Division, and Renewal” on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. in Wallman Hall Theater. 

Presidential Speaker Series events bring public figures, scholars, leaders, artists, and experts from multiple disciplines to Fairmont State’s campus to explore and discuss the important issues that touch lives. Events include a keynote presentation, fireside chat with Fairmont State President Mike Davis, audience question-and-answer session, and reception featuring light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. 

Habineza’s presentation will explore what Rwanda’s experience can teach us about memory, reconciliation and rebuilding trust after deep division. Drawing on his personal experiences and work in peacebuilding and youth dialogue, Habineza will invite audiences to consider how societies confront difficult histories, navigate polarization and build a shared future. 

Thirty years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi people, Rwanda continues to navigate complex questions surrounding memory, reconciliation, identity and rebuilding after mass violence. As a member of the country’s first post-genocide generation, Habineza will share his perspective on inheriting a history he did not create but, like others of his generation, must confront. 

Habineza will examine the dangers of polarization, the challenges of rebuilding trust across deep divisions and the role meaningful dialogue can play in bringing people together. Through personal stories and reflections on Rwanda’s reconstruction, he will connect those experiences to broader questions facing societies around the world, including the United States, as they grapple with difficult histories and work to build a shared future amid division.  

 “Jean-Michel brings a deeply personal perspective to issues that are relevant around the world,” said Fairmont State University President Mike Davis. “His experiences remind us that meaningful dialogue is not about ignoring our differences or our history. It is about having the courage to confront them, listen to one another, and find a path forward. I am confident his message will challenge our campus and the public to think about the role each of us plays in building trust and strengthening our communities.” 

Habineza’s visit follows the September presentation by Rajiv Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, who opened the 2026-2027 Presidential Speaker Series with a discussion on higher education’s civic responsibility. Vinnakota explored how colleges and universities can help prepare students not only for their careers, but also to become informed and engaged citizens, while encouraging productive dialogue across differences and greater participation in civic life. 

Following Habineza’s Nov. 10 presentation, the 2026-2027 Presidential Speaker Series will continue with: 

• Joe Manchin III, former U.S. Senator and Governor of West Virginia 

Feb. 11, 2027 | 6 p.m. | Wallman Hall Theater 

• John Milas, novelist and artist-in-residence 

March 23, 2027 | 6 p.m. | Wallman Hall Theater 

• Sean Astin, actor and president of SAG-AFTRA 

April 7, 2027 | 6 p.m. | Colebank Hall 

For more information about the Presidential Speaker Series, visit the Fairmont State Presidential Speaker Series webpage.