KWIBUKA 21

 

21st Commemoration of the Genocide against Tutsi held in Warsaw, Poland

At the National Museum of Ethnography!

 

On 22nd of April 2015, the Rwandans living in Poland with the support of the Embassy of Rwanda to Poland based in Germany organized an event to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the tragedy that was the Genocide against Tutsi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Present were a few members of the diplomatic corps based in Warsaw, a few members of the Polish government, friends and families of Rwandans living in Poland.

 

Moreover, present were guests who came from afar, such as the Commercial Attaché in the Embassy of Rwanda in Ankara Mrs Vivian Kayitesi, the Honorary Consul of Poland in Rwanda Mr. Charles Ngarambe, and our guest of honor and main host of the event the Ambassador of Rwanda to Poland H.E. Christine Nkulikiyinka.

 

This year’s commemoration theme being to “Tackle the Genocide Denial”, we had planned a few activities in order to have a constructive discussion and share more information on the tragedy.

 

After a viewing of a short film entitled: “The History of Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda - Cyanika 1963”, H.E. Ambassador Christine Nkulikiyinka addressed the participants. She underlined the fact that what they had just seen on screen, and many other testimonies were living proofs of the existence of the Genocide. She insisted on the fact that Rwanda and Rwandans will forever remember and always show the world the failure they encountered in 1994 towards Rwandans, so that it can never happen again in Rwanda or in any other part of the world, and that the deniers of the this tragedy can be silenced.

 

Panelists who spoke had the same spirit.

Rev. Wojciech Lemański after a long analysis on the role the world and especially the

 

Catholic church played in the Genocide against Tutsi, he proposed the Church make available their archives, should allow and permit research based on the notes taken over the years by the priests and other Church clergies, which could bring closure to many Rwandans cross the country.

 

Mr. James Omolo being of African descent and living in Poland for about 10 years, he discussed on the origins and signs of racism which starts with small ideologies thrown here and there, to end in tragedies. He underlined the importance of remembering saying that the minute people forget, they tend to come back to the same conclusions as before, thereby committing the same mistakes over and over again.

 

The discussion was animated, participants gave their contributions but most importantly questions such as “how do Rwandans live together now” arose.

 

Participants were satisfied with the answers, especially since young Rwandans living in Poland gave their testimonies as to how they live together now as Rwandans, what is important in life, and the expectations of every parent, brother and sister which is for their own to be safe in a prosperous country.

 

At the end of the panel discussion, participants were invited to visit an exhibition organized with the support of PIETRUCHA Group, friends of Rwandans in Poland. The exhibition was held from 22nd to 27th of April; more than 500 people visited the museum and were able to witness the immovable pictures show-casing the genocide against Tutsi, its devastations, but most importantly, the hope and strength of the Rwandan people through words and images.