Rwanda recalls genocide in ‘Walk to Remember’

Rwandan Ambassador to South Korea Eugene Segore Kayihura is hosting a series of commemorative activities Monday to raise awareness about the horrendous loss of life that took place in his country 20 years ago, as well as the failure of the international community to respond to pleas for help.

Various activities have been organized for the 20th Rwanda Genocide Commemoration, dubbed “KWIBUKA20,” to commemorate what the embassy described in a press statement as a “genocide that took away nearly a million lives in just 100 days.” The activities include a “Walk to Remember,” a moment of silence, a lighting of candles, speeches by dignitaries, a video screening and a testimonial by a survivor of the genocide.

The Rwandan genocide, which took place during a 100-day period starting April 7, 1994, saw the mass slaughter of nearly 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority.

“The theme of ‘Kwibuka20’ is ‘Remember, Unite, Renew,’ aiming to remember the people murdered in Rwanda, draw inspiration from the ability of the Rwandan people to unite and reconcile, and marvel at their determination to renew their country,” the embassy said.

The word “Kwibuka” means “remember” in the Kinyarwanda language, Rwanda’s official language.

A “Kwibuka Flame of Remembrance” torch returns from a nationwide tour to the Rwandan capital city of Kigali on April 7, where Rwandan President Paul Kagame will use it to light the National Flame of Mourning and start the national mourning period which ends on Liberation Day on July 4.

Kwibuka20 is co-hosted by the Rwandan Embassy and the Far East Broadcasting Company, a South Korean Christian media company.

The commemorative “Walk to Remember” starts Monday (today) at Hapjeong Station at 1 p.m. and the other activities will be held at the nearby FEBC Art Hall at 2 p.m. For more information, call the Rwandan Embassy at (02) 798-1052.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)