Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe on Thursday urged young people to uphold unity and reject divisionism and genocide ideology, warning that such beliefs led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Ambassador Nduhungirehe made the remarks during a commemoration event at the Nyanza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial, where he joined youth and government officials, including Youth and Arts Development Minister Jean Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima.
The event, organized by the youth-led group Our Past Initiative, brought together more than 12,000 participants, most of them young people, to reflect on the history of the genocide and its lasting impact.
Nduhungirehe said promoting unity and peaceful coexistence should be a core value for Rwanda’s youth.
“You must live together in harmony, avoid discrimination and reject genocide ideology,” he said. “Rwandans are one people, and that unity must always come first.”
He also called on young people to speak out against genocide ideology, including among peers living abroad, and to actively challenge narratives that deny or distort Rwanda’s history.
Several participants said the event helped deepen their understanding of the genocide.
Beth Umutoni said such gatherings provide an opportunity to learn more about the country’s past and prepare young people to educate future generations to ensure the atrocities are never repeated.
Christian Intwari, head of Our Past Initiative, said the organization was founded to promote awareness of Rwanda’s history among youth and encourage them to share that knowledge with others.
He said the group also supports genocide survivors through housing projects and assists vulnerable communities as part of its broader efforts to contribute to national development.
