The Vice President of India, H.E. Shri M Hamid Ansari, has praised Rwandans for their resilience and courage while paying homage to the more than one million Rwandans killed in the Genocide against the Tutsi.
During his visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Vice President was especially disheartened by the failure of the international community to prevent or stop the Genocide. He was also moved by Rwanda’s remarkable recovery over the last 23 years.
“A visit to this memorial is a moving experience. On behalf of the people of India and on my own behalf, I salute the resilience and courage demonstrated by the Rwandan people to put behind the hatred and move ahead on a path of reconciliation and inclusion. It is a testament to an indomitable national spirit.” – Vice President Hamid Ansari writing in the memorial guestbook.
The Vice President was guided through the memorial by Manager Honore Gatera, who explained the history of division in Rwanda, the causes, reality and consequences of the Genocide against the Tutsi, and the effort to rebuild the fabric of society by fostering a shared sense of national identity and vision for a bright future. He was also joined by the Executive Secretary of Rwanda’s National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, Dr Jean Damascène Bizimana.
Concluding his visit, the Vice President kindly made a donation to the Kigali Genocide Memorial on behalf of the Government of India.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Established by the Aegis Trust in 2004 at the request of the Government of Rwanda and Kigali City Council, the memorial continues to be run by Aegis today on behalf of Rwanda’s National Commission for the Fight against Genocide as a place both of remembrance and learning for a new generation.
Each year almost 100,000 people visit the memorial, which is also the location for Rwanda’s first Peace School – where the conference will take place.
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