21 April 2024 - Over 500 people including UAE Government Officials, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda gathered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to commemorate for the 30th time the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The audience heard a vivid testimony of Serge Rwigamba, a genocide survivor who narrated the shocking horrors he went through during the genocide and how he found resilience and hope to build a new life. “The Genocide against the Tutsi shattered our lives, we lost many of our family members in a shocking way. But after the Genocide, we managed to embrace forgiveness, and resilience and built a new life with the help of our visionary country's leadership and its ultimate support to rise from the ashes. We believe in Kindness of spirit and retributive comes after,” Serge narrated.

In his remarks, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the UAE, John Mirenge reflected on the unimaginable human tragedy of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and called for concerted efforts in the fight against genocide denial. “The 30th commemoration should serve as a clarion call to the global community for concerted efforts to tackle genocide ideology, denial and revisionism. Bringing to justice genocide suspects who are still at large is equally unfinished work that needs international collaboration,” he underscored.

On Rwanda’s remarkable transformation post-genocide, Ambassador Mirenge observed: “Three decades later, Rwanda has risen into a beacon of transformation and progress as we chose to live not only for ourselves and future generations but also for those who departed and whose dreams were cut short. To fellow Rwandans, notably the youth, we have a collective responsibility to preserve the memory, sustain the gains made by our country, and contribute to the ambitious ongoing transformation journey.

On his part, H.E Rashid Sesay, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the UAE and Dean of African Ambassadors noted that Rwanda’s renaissance is a lesson to the whole humanity.  “Rwanda's remarkable journey from the depths of despair to a beacon of hope and development is a testament to the indomitable spirit of its people. The nation's ability to heal and rebuild underscores the power of unity, determination, and the unwavering human capacity for resilience. You gave humanity a lesson that there is always hope and that no community is beyond healing and recovery if there is will and determination,” Ambassador Rashid noted.

Kwibuka30 event in Abu Dhabi also included songs and messages of hope performed by the Rwandan youth living in the UAE.

Under the theme “Remember, Unite and Renew”, Rwandans and the global community continue the one hundred days of remembrance that started on April 7.

Watch the highlights of the event here

Media contact:

Pierre Muyombano, Communication Specialist, Rwanda’s Embassy in the UAE, at pmuyombano@embassy.gov.rw