Rohingya Genocide Day 2024
We gathered again this year on the 7th anniversary of the genocide of Rohingya people in Myanmar by the military government. This year, our event was centered both in remembering the past and where we came from but also on the youth, our future.
We held a youth training the day before our community event that focused on who Rohingya youth are and what they can be. It is so important to preserve Rohingya language and culture even as youth go into the world and get jobs and have families.
We gathered again at Chinese Community Center in Houston on Saturday, August 24 to hear from speakers and the community and also celebrate the graduation of the youth from the program.
Rohingya activist and journalist Nay San Lwin joined us from Frankfurt, Germany to update us on the situation in Arakan and talked about the importance of Rohingya pursuing education in the United States, particularly at the college level.
We heard from Plant it Forward CEO Nirjhor Rahman about how being connected to the earth and agricultural practices, a common occupation and necessity for Rohingya in Myanmar, is still possible in Houston with their programs. We are hoping to see more Rohingya join their gardening program in the future.
We then had youth speak about what they learned in the training and their hopes for their futures and what lies ahead for our community. One young woman, Rukhsana Bibi, who hopes to be a nurse one day, spoke about the importance of welcoming other Rohingya who are new arrivals, of helping them out and of being proud to be Rohingya. It is so encouraging to hear the youth speak so earnestly about who they hope to be and to be able to guide others to do the same.
We finished with a graduation ceremony for the youth — 15 young people who are more connected to themselves and their community.
Thank you so much to our host Chinese Community Center, our speakers and our youth for making this year possible.