Chris Lytle knew there would be community interest in a speaking engagement by Lieutenant General, the Honorable Roméo Dallaire, but even he was surprised by the demand for tickets.

All of the free tickets to Dallaire’s talk Friday, Dec. 1 at Brock University have now been taken, which is good news to Lytle, the event organizer and Brock’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) co-ordinator.

“I think it’s fantastic. It really speaks to the fact that people are interested in hearing Romeo speak,” Lytle said.

Dallaire’s talk will take place in Sean O’Sullivan Theatre at 6:30 p.m. Friday as Brock marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Appointed as commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda, Dallaire was witness to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where it’s estimated that between 500,000 and one million people were killed in the span of 100 days.

Dallaire now lives with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has become an internationally known advocate for human rights.

“This is a high-powered talk that will allow us to reanalyze what we think discrimination means,” Lytle said. “This will likely result in many conversations afterward and that’s why I wanted to do this.”

Those attending Dallaire’s talk Friday night are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to be collected at the door for Community Care.

What: The International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Who: Lieutenant General, The Honorable Roméo Dallaire (Ret’d)

When: Friday, Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, Brock University

Tickets: Event is now sold out