The Rwandan Embassy in Ethiopia and Permanent Mission to the African Union, in collaboration with the AU Commission, on Sunday organised a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The ceremony was attended by more than 1,500 people from diplomatic corps, institutions of higher learning and high schools as well as officials of the Government of Ethiopia.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Prof. Victor Harison, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, said: "As Africans remember the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi and continue to strengthen their resolve to combat genocide ideology and denial, it is vital to keep in mind that the 7th of April stirs within us our appreciation for the gift of life as well as our common humanity.”

Amb. Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek, Permanent Representative of Egypt to AU and Chair of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), reminded the gathering that the Genocide against the Tutsi had a profound impact on AU policies, as reflected in the AU Constitutive Act.

He said; "The painful shadow of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda still looms above all of us and remains irreversible scare in the consciousness of humanity as one of its darkest moments in history.”

The Government of Ethiopia was represented by Amb. Woinshet Tadesse, Permanent Secretary of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She noted that; "Despite the genocide that Rwanda suffered, today, Rwanda’s story is one of a rising nation, and an example to Africa and the world.”

The Ambassador of Rwanda to Ethiopia, Hope Tumukunde Gasatura told the youth while they play an important role in developing societies, if misguided, they can be a destructive force.

Washington, DC

In Washington, U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, Dr J. Peter Pham, noted that the same fighting spirit that enabled Rwandans to end the Genocide also produced the veritable miracle "we have all witnessed” over the course of the last 25 years.

He said: "The economic achievements have been matched in other sectors, including health and education.”

Amb Mathilde Mukantabana, the Rwandan envoy to the US, said; "We turned our nation around because we were driven by three guiding principles: staying together, being accountable and dreaming big.”

"We found within ourselves resilience and courage to reject the politics of division and hate.”

Kinshasa

In Kinshasa, capital of the DR Congo, nearly 100 people – the first time such a big number attended – including the Minister of State in charge of Decentralisation, Azarias Ruberwa, and the French envoy there, Amb. Francois Pujoras, attended a commemoration event.

Ankara

More than 600 people marked the 25th commemoration of the Genocide in two events in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday. Events included a church service at the St. Antony Cathedral. Rwanda’s Ambassador Williams Nkurunziza applauded the church’s decision to stand with Rwanda. The official commemorative event there will be held in Ankara at Atli Hotel, on Tuesday.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com