In a solemn but powerful tribute, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda gathered in Dakar, Senegal, to mark the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—a moment of collective remembrance that echoed far beyond national borders.
On April 7, 2025, more than 400 attendees—including Rwandan nationals, diplomatic officials, and allies of Rwanda—united at the King Fahd Palace Hotel to honor the lives lost, reflect on the resilience of survivors, and recommit to fighting genocide ideology wherever it persists.
The commemoration began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Place du Souvenir Africain, a symbolic site that now hosts a permanent memorial to the Genocide against the Tutsi. This space was created to ensure that the truth of what happened in Rwanda in 1994 remains visible and preserved for future generations.
The guest of honor was General Jean Baptiste Tine, Senegal’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Public Security.
In his address, General Tine emphasized that remembrance is not just a Rwandan duty—it is a global one. He underscored the responsibility of the African continent, in particular, to learn from the past in order to build a future rooted in peace, unity, and justice.
Tine praised both the United Nations and the African Union for declaring April 7 the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He also lauded Rwanda as a beacon of resilience, forgiveness, and nation-building in the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to Senegal, Festus Bizimana, retraced the painful history of ethnic division, rooted in colonial policies and later reinforced by the governments of Rwanda’s First and Second Republics. These policies led to decades of discrimination, displacement, and eventually, the Genocide.
He paid tribute to the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), under the command of President Paul Kagame, for ending the Genocide and liberating the country. Ambassador Bizimana also saluted the bravery of those who risked their lives to protect the persecuted—among them Rwandan citizens and foreign peacekeepers like Senegal’s Captain Mbaye Diagne, who saved countless lives before paying the ultimate price.
Memorial statue of Captain Mbaye Diagne inaugurated in Dakar, Senegal in 2024
He emphasized that Rwanda’s remarkable journey of recovery and growth is deeply rooted in visionary leadership that has united the nation and forged a shared future.
Dr. Yves Rwogera Munana
Dr. Yves Rwogera Munana, President of Ibuka in Senegal, issued a strong call to action: the fight against Genocide denial and revisionism must be relentless. He warned that genocide ideology still has platforms today and stressed the critical role Ibuka plays in preserving memory and exposing the truth of what happened in Rwanda.
The Kwibuka31 event also featured a keynote address on the enduring strength of Rwandans in the face of genocide ideology across the Great Lakes Region.
Berthilde Gahongayire, UNAIDS Director for West and Central Africa and a survivor of the Genocide, reflected on Rwanda’s path from division and displacement to resilience and rebuilding. She detailed how genocidal ideology took root long before 1994—dating back to 1959, when Tutsi were first targeted, killed, and exiled, and those remaining were stripped of basic rights.
She expressed concern about the continued presence of this ideology in parts of the Great Lakes Region—particularly in eastern DR Congo, where Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, especially Tutsi, face discrimination and violence. She condemned Congolese leaders who fuel anti-Tutsi sentiment and incite violence, and challenged the false narrative that blames Rwanda for the region’s insecurity.
Dr. Abderahmane Ngaïndé, a historian and professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, spoke from personal experience after visiting Rwanda. He emphasized that the world must internalize the lessons of the Genocide to prevent similar atrocities in the future.
Dr. Fode Ndiaye, former head of UN operations in Rwanda, praised the country’s post-Genocide progress. He credited Rwanda’s leadership for cultivating unity, education, and self-reliance, pointing to advancements in health, agriculture, tourism, investment, and national identity as proof of what is possible when a nation rebuilds on strong values.
Youth voices were also elevated during the event. A powerful poem titled “Tears” captured the heartbreak of Rwanda’s past and the hope for its future. The evening concluded with a vigil and multimedia presentations recounting Rwanda’s history and path to renewal.
Among the most stirring testimonies was that of Jacqueline Uwamwiza, a member of Ibuka, who shared her story of survival and healing. Having lost 137 members of her family during the Genocide, she urged those in attendance not to be paralyzed by grief, but to live with purpose and work toward a better tomorrow. Her message, “Remember as we rebuild,” was a call for resilience, strength, and forward motion.
