THE Rwandan High Commission in South Africa is gearing up for a profound moment of reflection as it prepares to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi people, an event known as Kwibuka31.

This poignant ceremony will take place on Monday at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria, signaling the beginning of a 100-day period of remembrance.

As articulated by the High Commission, this year’s commemoration will centre around the unifying theme of “Remember Unite Renew.”

It serves not only as a remembrance of the atrocities but as a call to action for all people of conscience to honour the memories of the victims, stand in solidarity with survivors, and recommit to ensuring that genocide finds no place in the world.

“Kwibuka31 is a moment of remembrance and reaffirmation,” the Commission said, emphasising the importance of the collective obligation to remember and act against such crimes.

A critical element of the commemorative event will include testimonies shared by genocide survivors, who will recount their stories of resilience and healing, providing a personal touch to the historical narrative.

Among the dignitaries expected at the event are the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in South Africa and a representative from the United Nations, both of whom are poised to address the gathered audience, adding gravitas to an already significant occasion.

Emmanuel Hategeka, the Rwandan High Commissioner to South Africa, shared critical insights about the ongoing relevance of Kwibuka31 amidst rising global concerns regarding the recognition of historical genocides.

“Genocide denial, hate speech, and disturbing signs of genocide continue to rise across Africa and beyond, casting a troubling shadow over humanity's progress," he expressed.

"We remember not to dwell in our past but to reflect and actively, collectively recommit to the fight against genocide in all its manifestations.”

The significance of Kwibuka31 transcends mere commemoration; it presents an urgent call to action in addressing the underlying issues that foster such humanitarian crises.

In line with this, Hategeka urged participants to reflect on the root causes of genocide, delineating stages that lead to violence: classification, symbolisation, discrimination, dehumanisation, organisation, polarisation, preparation, persecution, extermination, and ultimately, denial.

As globally minded citizens are called to action, it is worth noting that the United Nations has officially recognised 7 April as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

This recognition, which first appeared in 2003 and was reaffirmed in 2018, underlines the international community's commitment to addressing and preventing such atrocities.

"Kwibuka31 challenges all of us to reaffirm our responsibility to protect innocent citizens, promote human dignity, fight impunity and genocide denial, and uphold justice,” Hategeka concluded, echoing the sentiments that these commemorative events should ignite a universal commitment to act decisively against future atrocities.

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Remembering genocide: The Rwanda story