On Monday 9 May 2016, representatives from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and the Swedish Embassy in Rwanda visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to remember the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Among the guest was Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Sida Director General and Torbjorn Pettersson, Head of Africa Department at Sida.
The Swedish Embassy to Rwanda and Sida support the Rwanda Peace Education Programme that is run in partnership with the Aegis Trust and the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The programme is designed to teach students, young Rwandans and the community about the causes and history of the 1994 Genocide and the importance of remembrance and peace building through workshops, guided tours and discussions. The programme also encourages interaction and critical thinking to inspire personal responsibly.
The group began their visit at the memorial by laying wreaths on the mass graves, which are the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide, followed by a tour of the memorial’s exhibition to learn more about the causes of the Genocide, and the dangers of genocide ideology. The group ended their visit by leaving messages of hope in the memorial’s guestbook.
“So important what you do! Never again!” Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Director General, Sida
“We must never forget.” Torbjorn Pettersson, Head of Africa Department, Sida
