University | 7:21 pm | November 8, 2011 | By Gavan Gideon

Wamariya ’13 named to Holocaust Memorial Council

Clemantine Wamariya d'13 appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006.
Clemantine Wamariya d'13 appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006. Photo by Gavan Gideon.

We’re a little late to this one, but it’s still important: Clemantine Wamariya ’13, a nationally-known speaker on genocide and a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, will serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, according to an Oct. 28 White House press release.

President Barack Obama appointed Wamariya to serve alongside four other individuals, two of whom are Holocaust survivors and two of whom are sons of Holocaust survivors. Wamariya lived in African refugee camps for a number of years following the genocide and moved to the United States in 2000. Wamariya came to national prominence after she was publicly reunited with her family on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006. Wamariya has since spoken about her experiences at events across the country.

“These fine public servants both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles. Our nation will be well-served by these men and women, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come,” Obama wrote in the press release.

At Yale, Wamariya is involved with the Yale Refugee Project, Reach Out and New Haven’s Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services. She could not be reached for comment.

With over 50 members, including a handful of federal representatives and senators, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council is charged with overseeing the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

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