Rwandan President Paul Kagame delivers his remarks during a commemoration event of the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Kigali. Rwanda, on April 7, 2026.(Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
KIGALI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday emphasized the importance of confronting denial and preserving historical truth as the country began a week of national mourning and 100 days of commemoration to mark the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Kagame and first lady Jeannette Kagame, along with the dean of the diplomatic corps in Rwanda, laid wreaths at the Kigali Genocide Memorial in the capital Kigali, where more than 250,000 victims are buried.
The president and the first lady later lit the "Flame of Remembrance" at the memorial before delivering remarks at an arena in Kigali.
"To all survivors, know that you are not alone. We stand with you always. Everything we have achieved was only possible because all Rwandans decided to join hands in a common purpose. We honor the role played by every Rwandan in our country's rebirth," Kagame said.
Kagame said the reality of the genocide is clear for all to see. The real leaders were convicted in national courts with rigorous evidence, and the Gacaca process documented the causes of the genocide in a way never seen or heard in Rwanda.
"The truth is undeniable, yet some continue to distort the facts," Kagame said, warning that indifference could heighten the risk of history repeating itself.
Kagame said genocide denial begins long before the genocide itself is committed, noting a pattern of ignoring warning signs or taking them lightly, while hate speech turns into hate acts dismissed as expressions of popular discontent.
A genocide survivor, Theoneste Ngiruwonsanga, said members of his family began to be killed in 1964, continuing until 1994.
"Before the genocide, Tutsi families on our hill lived in fear more than anything else," Ngiruwonsanga said, recalling that his grandfather was killed in 1964 and thrown into Lake Kivu.
Senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organizations, and families of victims participated in the memorial event at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Rwanda's commemoration activities, which began on Tuesday, will continue until July 4 to mark the 100-day period during which more than one million people, mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutus, were killed.
This year's commemoration is observed under the theme "Remember, Unite, and Renew." During the mourning week, the national flag will fly at half-mast in honor of the victims. ■
Rwandan citizens participate in a Night vigil during a commemoration event of the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 7, 2026. Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday emphasized the importance of confronting denial and preserving historical truth as the country began a week of national mourning and 100 days of commemoration to mark the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and first lady Jeannette Kagame light the "Flame of Remembrance" during a commemoration event of the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 7, 2026. Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday emphasized the importance of confronting denial and preserving historical truth as the country began a week of national mourning and 100 days of commemoration to mark the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Rwandan citizens participate in a Night vigil during a commemoration event of the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 7, 2026. Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday emphasized the importance of confronting denial and preserving historical truth as the country began a week of national mourning and 100 days of commemoration to mark the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
