2023-09-20 20:36:58
Four Rwandan memorials are recognized by UNESCO, among the 200 places of remembrance in the country. The Genocide Memorial, located on Gisozi Hill, is now a world heritage site. Inaugurated in 2004, it houses the remains of 250,000 people, but also torn clothes belonging to the victims and weapons used by their executioners.
We expect a lot, firstly on raising awareness about our history. A lot of research, information, but also archiving will be carried out by UNESCO platforms. This will do a lot for us to preserve the memory of the genocide. This memorial is special because it is the final resting place of more than 250,000 victims, making it the largest mass grave in the country. This makes it an important destination for people who need to understand what this country has been through.
Dieudonne Nagiriwubuntu, manager of the Gisozi memorial
The Bisesero memorial, in the west of the country, is also inscribed. It commemorates the resistance of the Tutsis against the genocidaires. Two other recognized sites were the scene of massacres in 1994. This is the Nyamata church, where thousands of people were killed. UNESCO specifies that this memorial is representative of other churches where crimes were committed during this period in the country.
Finally, there is the site of Murambi hill, 150 kilometers southwest of Kigali. At this location, a school group under construction was used to bring together the Tutsi population. Nearly 50,000 people were killed there. Until this 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, no Rwandan site had been inscribed by UNESCO.
I welcome this decision by UNESCO. It is an act of recognition of what happened in Rwanda. It is a tribute to the victims and it is a testimony of sympathy and solidarity with the survivors. So, I think this will allow this story to be broadcast more widely. Will there be many more visitors? It’s possible, I hope. Afterwards, what we expect, what we hope, is that there will be, through this new decision, education programs that UNESCO can support, that the international community can support. What I would like, what I wish for, is not to register a greater number of sites. It is also about bringing them to life, maintaining them, keeping them in good condition. If the site deteriorates, it’s a bit of memory that deteriorates.
Marcel Kabanda, president of the Ibuka France association
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