Delegations participating in the CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026 visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi on April 28, where they paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The visit brought together team officials, coaches, international referees, and accompanying delegations, alongside representatives of the Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB), the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB), and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
At the memorial, the visitors laid wreaths and observed a moment of reflection in honour of more than 250,000 victims buried at the site. The memorial is the largest in Rwanda and holds remains collected from across Kigali and surrounding areas, including victims killed in homes, mass graves, and rivers.
Delegates were taken through exhibitions detailing the planning and execution of the genocide, during which more than one million Tutsi were killed over approximately 100 days in 1994.
They were also briefed on Rwanda’s reconstruction journey over the past 32 years following the genocide, led by the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi).
After the guided tour, the delegation laid flowers on the mass graves as a sign of respect and remembrance.
FRVB President Ngarambe Raphaël said the visit reflects the role of sport in promoting unity and reconciliation, noting that the participating teams left messages in the guest book emphasizing peace and a shared commitment to ensuring such atrocities never happen again.
FIVB representative Shilla Omuriwe Buyungo said the genocide reflected a failure of humanity, calling for greater emphasis on love, tolerance, and respect among people.
She stressed that sport should serve as a platform for dialogue and unity, helping to reinforce messages of peace and prevent future atrocities.
The championship continues with round-of-16 fixtures and classification matches for positions 17–24 as the tournament progresses in its 47th edition.
