Youth from across Rwanda gathered at the Nyanza Genocide Memorial for the ‘Our Past’ dialogue, a platform aimed at deepening understanding of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and reinforcing the importance of national commemoration.
Organized by Our Past Initiative, a youth-led initiative founded in 2012 by Christian Intwari, the event seeks to educate young Rwandans about the genocide while promoting unity, reconciliation, and national cohesion.
The dialogue drew senior government officials and international representatives, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Youth Jean Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima, and European Union Ambassador to Rwanda Belén Calvo Uyarra, signaling strong institutional and diplomatic support for youth-led commemoration efforts.
Delphine Mizero, Executive Secretary of Peace and Love Proclaimers, told the participants that young people have a critical role in safeguarding the truth about the genocide and confronting denial and revisionism.
She said: “When youth actively engage in commemoration, we ensure that future generations remember. It is our duty to confront those who deny or distort the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi.”
Mizero also urged young participants to support genocide survivors, offering comfort and solidarity, particularly during the Kwibuka commemorations.
The ‘Our Past’ dialogue highlights the commitment of Rwanda’s youth to preserve the history of the genocide, challenge extremist ideologies, and contribute to building a future anchored in unity, peace, and national resilience.
