Vernier Caliper, one of the tools the colonial regime used to prepare what would become the genocide against Tutsi. Kigali Genocide memorial and partners have documented this history before, during and after the Genocide
The Kigali Genocide memorial centre has made it possible for the world to access live testimonies on the Genocide against Tutsi and other atrocities from across the world.
The memorial has launched a platform of 55, 000 testimonies of survivors and witnesses of genocides, and the IWitness on Tuesday.
“For the first time in Africa, full access to the Visual History Archive, a home to more than 55,000 testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Genocide against the Tutsi and other Genocides and mass atrocities around the world will be available only at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Computer Lab,” said communication officer of Aegis Trust, the non-profit making organisation which manages Kigali Genocide memorial.
Behind this achievement are three partners including; Aegis Trust and of USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute of Visual History and Education.
The partners have been working together in recording of testimonies, archival efforts, research and education for more than a decade.
“Once again, the organizations have collaborated on the work already initiated on the development of testimony-based educational resources and activities that will support the implementation of Rwanda’s new national competence-based curriculum, “wrote Carine M. Rutari Aegis Trust Senior Communications Officer.
Children pay tribute to Genocide victims
The VHA that can be used by researchers and academicians can only be fully accessed in 15 countries worldwide.
Meanwhile, the IWitness, an educational website developed by USC Shoah Foundation, brings first person stories of survivors and witnesses to genocide to teachers and students viaMulti-media learning activities.
To access both platforms, a user can go through these links;https://sfi.usc.edu/vha
The Institute and Aegis Trust have now developed a Rwanda landing page (IWitness Rwanda) that has contextualized activities to encourage critical thinking among teachers and students.
It will also be accessed through the Ubumuntu Digital Platform that is being developed by Aegis Trust.
