Newly unveiled statue to commemorate Rwandan Genocide
BY LERISSE SMITH
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda – one of the darkest chapters in human history.
More than one million Tutsi children, women and men were systematically killed in less than three months.
The statue ‘Kwibuka Flame of Hope’, a gift from the Republic of Rwanda, was installed on 11 September in the north garden area at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The Kwibuka flame symbolises the resilience and courage of Rwandans since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, when more than one million people were killed following years of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech exacerbating ethnic tensions.
“The Kwibuka Flame of Hope will burn forever as a visual reminder for the international community and the many visitors to the United Nations (UN) on the need to speak out and say no to hate,” said Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Global Communications.
“This is also a tribute to the immense courage and resilience needed to rebuild after such a profound loss and trauma.”
The Kwibuka Flame of Hope is the first permanent tribute to the 1994 genocide installed at the United Nations Headquarters. It is publicly visible from the Visitors’ Plaza, adjacent to the entrance at 46th Street and First Avenue.
The statue consists of a grey flame extending from a bi-levelled black round base with the wording ‘The 1994 Genocide Against The Tutsi In Rwanda … Remember – Unite – Renew’ with Kwibuka Flame of Hope at the base of the statue.
Kwibuka means ‘to remember’ in the Kinyarwanda language. The term denotes the annual period of mourning coinciding with the genocide, which began on 7 April, through Liberation Day on 4 July.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke at this year’s International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
“We will never forget the victims of this genocide,” he said.
“Nor will we ever forget the bravery and resilience of those who survived, whose courage and willingness to forgive remain a burst of light and hope amidst this dark chapter in human history.
“This year, we remind ourselves of genocide’s rancid root: hate ... Today, around the world, the darkest impulses of humanity are being awakened once more by the voices of extremism, division, and hate. To those who would seek to divide us, we must deliver a clear, unequivocal and urgent message: never again.”
Additionally, António called for people to pledge to stand as one against all forms of hatred and discrimination on the solemn day of remembrance.
“Let’s ensure that the acts that began on 7 April 1994 are never forgotten – and never repeated. Anywhere.”
