Washington D.C.,– In a solemn ceremony held at the Rwanda Embassy in Washington DC on Sunday, April 7, 2024, Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana led the U.S.-based Rwandan community in commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The event marked the beginning of a week-long endeavor to honor the victims and survivors of this tragic event, which resulted in the loss of over a million lives in 1994.
The Embassy draped the Rwandan flag at half-mast, lit the flame of hope, and paid tribute to those lost. This somber opening sets the stage for further remembrance events across the U.S., culminating in a main ceremony at Capitol Hill on April 15th.
H.E. Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana addressed the assembly, resonating with President Paul Kagame’s recent message, which urged Rwandans and Africans to embrace self-worth and recognize their capacity for action.
“Like our President said today, our hearts are filled with grief and gratitude, in equal measure,” Amb. Mukantabana stated. “But as we remember the dead, we also give thanks for what Rwanda has become.”
“In the same spirit, Let’s join hands in our respective communities during this time of remembrance as we honor victims, comfort survivors, and sustain our national unity that is at the core of Rwanda’s stability and progress.”
Mrs. Bernadette Denis, representing Ibuka USA, expressed profound gratitude to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi, FPR), for halting the genocide. She spoke of the unimaginable suffering and trauma endured by survivors, who despite everything, found the strength to rebuild their lives, forgive perpetrators, and choose peace and reconciliation over hatred and division.
The event concluded with Ambassador Mukantabana encouraging all Rwandans and supporters of Rwanda in the U.S. to play an active role in these commemorations, scheduled to unfold over the next 100 days. She also stressed the importance of challenging the narrative propagated by genocide deniers who seek to manipulate historical truths.
Meanwhile, numerous events are being planned across various cities in the U.S. Already, over a dozen institutions of higher learning, including Harvard University, the Catholic University of America, and the University of Central Arkansas, have partnered with local Rwandan communities to host remembrance ceremonies.
