On Thursday 28 April 2016, despite the heavy rain, over 5,000 residents of Gasabo District walked to the Kigali Genocide Memorial to remember the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

Led by the District’s Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Languide Nyirabahire, residents toured the Memorial exhibits to learn the history of the Genocide and laid wreaths on the mass graves to pay tribute to the victims. More than 250,000 victims of the Genocide are buried at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Speaking at the commemoration event, the Vice Mayor said that young Rwandans must shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding Rwanda and creating a brighter future.

“Thank you for coming in big numbers in this rain. It is a testament of your love to the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. We want you to learn from the past. It was the youth who were used to kill and destroy, but today, you young people have to use your strength to rebuild this country.”

The Vice Mayor also called upon parents to teach their children the history of the Genocide and to fight genocide ideology.

The visit by local residents to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which is located in Gasabo District, was also to reaffirm the commitment of fighting genocide ideology and to encourage residents to support the work of the memorial.