World leaders gathered in Rwanda to mark the 30th anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi

KIGALI, Rwanda, April 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- World leaders past and present gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, to remember the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Over a dozen current and former Heads of State, including South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and former US President, Bill Clinton, attended. They joined President Paul Kagame to lay wreaths and light the flame of remembrance at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, and thereafter they participated in the national ceremony at BK Arena, marking the official start of Kwibuka30. Kwibuka means 'to remember' in Kinyarwanda (the national language of Rwanda).

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:  https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/9260351-world-leaders-gather-rwanda-30th-anniversary-genocide-against-tutsi/

On 7 April 1994, a genocide was unleashed against the Tutsi minority of Rwanda, leaving over a million dead in just 100 days, in full view of the world. A minimal United Nations peacekeeping force stood by and watched the genocide unfold, after a decision was made by the Security Council to withdraw most of the peacekeepers.

In his speech, President Kagame said Rwanda learnt three key lessons from its experience:  "First, only we as Rwandans and Africans can give full value to our lives. After all, we cannot ask others to value African lives more highly than we ourselves do. That is the root of our duty to preserve memory and tell our history as we lived it. Second, never wait for rescue, or ask for permission to do what is right to protect people. That is why some people must be joking when they threaten us with all kinds of things, they don't know what they are talking about. In any case, that is why Rwanda participates proudly in peacekeeping operations today, and also extends assistance to African brothers and sisters bilaterally when asked. Third, stand firm against the politics of ethnic populism in any form. Genocide is populism in its purified form."

Four memorials to the Genocide against the Tutsi recently inscribed as UNESCO world heritage sites will be illuminated each night for the week of commemoration. As a sign of international solidarity, iconic monuments in cities around the world will be lit in the colours of the Rwandan flag, as part of a joint Rwanda-UNESCO initiative.

This year's historic anniversary is an opportunity for Rwandans and the rest of the world to honour victims, comfort survivors, and reflect on Rwanda's journey of recovery, reconciliation, and resilience, with national unity at the core of the country's stability and progress.

Notes to the editor

For audio visual content from today's events please visit here

For more information, please visit kwibuka.rw

To request an interview in the coming days, please email spokesperson@ogs.gov.rw 

Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2381723/Kwibuka.mp4
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2379424/4636815/Kwibuka_Logo.jpg