Pierantonio Costa

Who is Pierantonio Costa?

Pierantonio Costa is an Italian businessman, diplomat and a rescuer of many lives during the Rwandan genocide.

He was born in Mestre on 7 May 1939 as the fifth of seven children. At age 15 he joined his father who had emigrated to Zaire. He had his first experience of African wars in 1960 in Bukavu, where he successfully transported groups of Congolese refugees across Lake Kivu. After a revolt called the Mulelist rebellion broke out, he moved to newly independent Rwanda where he lived until 1994. Today he divides himself between Kigali and Brussels.

During the Rwandan genocide, Pierantonio Costa was the Italian Consul in Kigali. From 6 April to 21 July 1994, Costa first saved Italians and Westerners, then he moved to his brother's property in Burundi and from there he travelled a lot across Rwanda in an unfaltering effort to rescue the people. For this purpose he used his diplomatic role, his network of friendships and acquaintances and his own money to get exit permits for those who asked him for help.

By the end of the genocide he had rescued 2,000 people, including 375 children.

He was awarded a gold medal for civil value by the Italian government and received a similar decoration from the Belgian authorities.