Walk to Remember returns with limited attendance
Friday, April 05, 2024
Thousands of mourners who turn up for the Walk to Remember during the commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, during Kwibuka 20, at Gishushu on April 7, 2014. Courtesy

After a break of four years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Walk to Remember is set to resume, though with a restricted attendance of 3,000 individuals.

Scheduled for April 7, commencing at 2 pm, the Walk to Remember procession will start from Parliament buildings in Kimihurura and end at BK Arena, where a night vigil will take place on the same day coinciding with the commencement of the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Israel Nuru Mupenzi, the president of Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP), said that while the activity is back, there are notable changes in both venue and attendance.

ALSO READ: Kwibuka: Eight things to know ahead of commemoration week

"Formerly held at Amahoro Stadium, accommodating up to 25,000 attendees, the event now relocates to BK Arena, scaling down to 3,000 participants,” he explained.

Mupenzi emphasized that the number decreased due to the capacity of the venue and that the registration of participants concluded, with a different representation including individuals from various sectors, diplomats, and friends of Rwanda being invited to participate in the walk.

ALSO READ: 'Walk to Remember' gains more meaning each year

The Walk to Remember started in 2009 as an initiative of youth within PLP.

The Walk to Remember serves multiple purposes, including empowering Rwandan youth and global counterparts to stand against genocide.

Through this symbolic journey, PLP aims to educate the younger generation about the atrocities of genocide, utilizing knowledge as a preventive tool.