Editorial: As we think of documenting Genocide history, let us also think about the packaging

As the country continues to engage in activities to mark the 27th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, the common message being carried at different events within and outside the country is for the fight against denial and trivialization of the genocide. A special focus is being put on the youth, who are being asked to challenge genocide deniers using all platforms available, especially social media. This is an important undertaking because, year-on-year, we continue to witness widespread dissemination of content that revises the history of our country. What was started by genocide perpetrators who are on the run in different countries is being carried on by a young generation of genocide deniers – mostly offspring of these fugitives. If not nipped in the bud, it is likely to be taken as truth among the unsuspecting members of the international community, at least those who genuinely want to learn about our country’s history. At a commemoration event, the head of Ibuka, the umbrella body for Genocide survivors’ organisations in Gatsibo District on Sunday, April 11, called for the documenting of Genocide. He said that testimonies should be collected from different survivors of the Genocide and made part of the documentation at the different genocide memorial sites in the country. With such documentation, he said, people who visit the memorials will have first-hand information on the killings at that particular place, and this will go a long way in preserving memory, a major tool of not only ensuring what happened does not happen again, but also a key weapon against genocide denial. This by all means is a good proposal and should be supported by all involved. However, there is need for innovation in the way we package this information that is collected from the survivors, to make it consumable by as many people as possible. Books are very important and many should be written about the genocide for posterity. However, other innovative ways are necessary, especially to attract the attention of the youth. A good example is a recent idea by the National Commission for the Fight against the Genocide (CNLG), to launch a podcast on the global audio streaming platform Spotify. Spotify is a very popular platform among the youth. The podcast will run daily for the 100 days of the Genocide commemoration starting on April 7 through July 4. Each day, it will give an account of what happened in 1994 in all parts of the country. This is such a commendable initiative and which must be emulated on a larger scope of documenting genocide history. The youth are the target for much of the information and we must have them in mind when packaging it for maximum impact.

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Editorial: As we think of documenting Genocide history, let us also think about the packaging