A Ukrainian delegation concludes its tour of Rwanda on a positive note, pledging to use the lessons learned to advocate for peace and resilience in Ukraine.
The delegation, composed of six women leaders from “Foundation The Day After,” spent five days in Rwanda engaging in various activities. These included visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial (KGM) and Bugesera memorial sites, participating in workshops on peace-building, reconciliation, trauma healing, and resilience, and meeting genocide survivors, memory organizations, and members of Rwanda’s Parliament.
Supported by Aegis Trust, the group also explored the role of women’s leadership in post-conflict societies, gaining insights to apply in their advocacy. Many of the women, with firsthand experience of Ukraine’s ongoing war, found inspiration in Rwanda’s recovery journey and expressed their determination to strengthen peace efforts in their own country and beyond.
How It Started:
Iryna Drobovych (right)
The head of the delegation, Iryna Drobovych, explained that the idea of visiting Rwanda emerged in 2023 during a meeting in Vienna, where she first learned about the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
The initiative, “Bridges to Peace Through Women’s Leadership: Learning from Africa,” aims to connect Ukrainian women leaders with Rwandan counterparts to exchange insights on post-war recovery, transitional justice, and leadership in peace-building.
Drobovych highlighted that, with Ukraine’s war continuing, the visit served as preparation for post-war recovery. “We are fighting for our survival and our future. Rwanda is the best example to learn from for the next journey of recovery,” she said.
Lessons Learned:
Olesya Bida, a war crimes reporter with The Kyiv Independent media, shared how visiting Ntarama Genocide Memorial profoundly impacted her. She emphasized the importance of understanding the psychological effects of war and preparing for the future.
Lawyer and human rights activist Alina Miakenka reflected on Rwanda’s history and resilience, recognizing that peace is more than the absence of war—it encompasses dignity, justice, and humanity.
Gender expert Anna Nikolaienko and Head of Projects at the foundation noted how the trip raised critical questions about Ukraine’s homegrown solutions for reconciliation and peace. She emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust, which she saw as a significant challenge for Ukraine, and expressed a desire to define inner peace and forgiveness within her community.
Rebuilding Trust:
Lawyer and human rights activist Alina Miakenka at the memorial
The delegation acknowledged the challenges of trust-building during an ongoing war but emphasized the need to plan for the future. Miakenka noted Rwanda’s choice to prioritize peace and reconciliation as a national policy, drawing parallels to what Ukraine must do to heal and rebuild.
Journalist Bida admitted that forgiving in the Ukrainian context feels difficult but drew strength from hearing stories of forgiveness from Rwandan survivors who did so for the sake of future generations.
Her colleague, Miakenka who recognized the conscious effort required for such a choice said: “Forgiveness is not weakness; it is a strength. We have to make this choice and pay the price for the future”
Ukrainian women leaders in a Peace Value Education (PVE) exercise
Moving Forward:
Gender expert, Anna Nikolaienko (left)
The delegation agreed with Aegis Trust Rwanda on the importance of continued collaboration, educational exchanges, and shared experiences. They stressed the value of storytelling and memory preservation to accord dignity to victims and ensure their voices are heard.
Nikolaienko referred to Rwanda’s experience as an “out-of-the-box solution” for Ukraine and emphasized inviting more Ukrainians to learn firsthand about transitional justice from Rwandan expertise.
Foundation The Day After members laying wreaths on graves of genocide victims at KGM
Miakenka concluded, “We will be ambassadors for Rwanda. Lessons learned here will not be copied but adapted to build Ukraine’s own homegrown solutions.”
The group recognized that though their time in Rwanda was limited, the insights gained exceeded their expectations. They emphasized the need for more Ukrainians to visit Rwanda and learn about transitional justice, informed by firsthand experience and expertise.
However, in order to make more Ukrainians aware of and learn from Rwanda’s story, the group announced plans to become Rwanda’s ambassadors, a commitment which will start by holding a public event in Kyiv, this April to talk about what they learned from their visit to Rwanda.
Olena Chyhryn, a mental health expert and psychologist reads documented genocide history at KGM
Ukrainian women leaders in a media reflection meeting at KGM
