WSA-Rwanda Hosts Book Discussion for Kayitesi’s “A Bridge Between Worlds”
An evening of storytelling, poetry, and heartfelt conversation unfolded at the Goethe-Institut Kigali on Saturday, August 8, as Writers Space Africa-Rwanda chapter (WSA-R) hosted a book discussion for A Bridge Between Worlds by Rwandan-born author Judence Kayitesi.
The event, hosted in collaboration with Inzozi Publisher and the Goethe-Institut Kigali, brought together writers, readers, and members of the public for a program that combined literary reflection with cultural exchange, running from late afternoon into the evening.
A Story of Identity and Return
A Bridge Between Worlds tells the story of a mother caught between two cultures: the country of her birth and the place she now calls home. When her young son begins asking where he comes from, she is drawn back to Rwanda and to memories she once tried to leave behind. Through her journey, the novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and healing, and how one can build bridges between past and future, pain and hope, and the different worlds of the heart.
The story carries deep personal resonance for its author. Born in Rwanda, Judence Kayitesi left the country in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and has since made her home in Germany. For this event, she returned to Rwanda to share excerpts from her book and speak directly with the audience about the experiences that shaped it.
An Evening of Reading and Reflection
The program opened with arrivals and welcoming remarks, followed by opening words from MC Sandra Nadege and a welcome address from the German Cultural Attaché Laslo Jäger. Poets Lise Nova and Man Ro set an emotional tone with a poetry performance, before readers shared excerpts from the book itself.
The heart of the evening was a fireside chat with the author, in conversation with Louise, followed by an extended question-and-answer session that invited the audience to engage directly with Kayitesi on the book’s themes of migration, memory, and healing. A second poetry performance, by Tekla H. Shimwa, added a further reflective interlude.
The evening closed with remarks from the M and a book signing and networking session, giving attendees the chance to speak with the author and one another informally.
Building Bridges Through Literature
For WSA-Rwanda, the event reflects an ongoing commitment to fostering literary dialogue and cross-cultural exchange, working alongside partners such as Inzozi Publisher and the Goethe-Institut Kigali. By bringing Kayitesi’s story home, the discussion offered space for collective reflection on histories of displacement, the meaning of home, and the long process of healing across generations.
For many in attendance, the discussion was less a book launch than a shared act of remembering and reimagining, a fitting tribute to a novel that asks how we carry our past with us as we build toward the future.
