Different ambassadors representing Israel in different African countries on September 13 visited Kigali Genocide Memorial where over 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi are laid.
The envoys are in the country for their annual retreat.
The delegation includes resident and non-resident ambassadors for Rwanda, South Sudan, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Angola, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, as well as officials in charge of Africa from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sharon Bar-Li, the Head of Africa Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is heading the delegation.
After visiting the memorial, she said "These horrible events that took place have to teach us. They have to make us have a vision towards a better future but also to remember and remind others.”
She added that Rwanda and Israel share similar history of holocaust – something which compels them to work together – not just for commemorating but also educating the next generation and doing their utmost to ensure that the atrocities never reoccur.
"The lesson the world has to learn is to care because on both cases, there were many people who saw and knew what was happening, but were reluctant to take action and too slow to try to prevent or stop it once it was already occurring.”
Tackling the reason why they decided to hold their annual retreat outside of Israel, particularly in Rwanda, she said, "I think it gives us an added value when we talk about our works in Africa to be here and have an exchange with African interlocutors; to feel, see, eat and smell, and be part of an area we are covering and discussing.”
She declared that there are commonalities between Israel and Rwanda, looking at the vision for the future, the strong belief in reinventing oneself, innovating, as well as taking their people to better places.
"This is a common denominator between Israel and Rwanda; two small countries: small in size but great in their spirits,” she said.
Ahead of their visit to the memorial, on September 12, the delegation met and greeted President Kagame.
According to Bar-Li, they had an opportunity to express friendship in close relation and to convey a strong message of friendship from Israel's Prime Minister, Yair Lapid.
She said that they also discussed the collaborations taking place between the two countries, Israel’s role in Africa and how the country can leverage it on a bilateral level to have greater impact.
The Israeli envoy to Rwanda, Ron Adam said that the two countries have multifaceted cooperation on the issue of Genocide and holocaust.
He said that one of them is between Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, which is the ‘greatest’ source for holocaust education, documentation and research, based in Jerusalem.
Adam added that they’ve been partnering to bring its lecturers from the centre to connect with local teachers to collaborate on how to teach holocaust and Genocide.