Rwanda calls for global support to preserve Genocide history through world heritage registration

On Wednesday, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Bizimana Jean Damascene, urged countries around the world to improve their efforts to support projects aimed at preserving the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 during the UN Rwanda commemoration event.

Dr. Bizimana encouraged countries to recommit to preserving the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 as a way to rebuild society based on existing history. He delivered this message as the keynote speaker at a commemoration event attended by UN agencies based in Rwanda, international diplomats, and representatives of UN workers' families who lost their lives in the Genocide. The event was held to remember the UN workers who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

"Rwanda has a project to register Genocide memorials in the world heritage MONUSCO; genocide memorial of Nyamata, Bisesero, Murambi, and Gisozi. We urge other countries to support that project. Once it is registered in the world heritage, it will help people to know the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This will enable the world's youth to learn from that history so that we can promote peace and security in the world, and prevent future genocides," noted Dr. Jean Damascene Bizimana.

During the 29th commemoration, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, appreciated Rwanda's efforts to reconstruct and reunite Rwandans. He comforted the Genocide survivors and recognized the need for the United Nations to continue working with Rwanda and other countries to prevent the repeat of Genocide.

"This is an important time for us to come together and pay tribute to our dear colleagues, but also to all victims of the Genocide. It is a shared responsibility for all of us, Rwandans and non-Rwandans. This annual commemoration affords us an opportunity to reflect and continue to unite our efforts. We need to renew our commitment to ensure that the world never experiences such a heinous crime against humanity again," said Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo.

Representatives of the families of UN workers killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda appreciated the commemoration session, marking that it is a good sign that their loved ones are respected by the agency for which they worked, the United Nations.