Former Manchester United captain Patrice Evra visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi on his first day in Rwanda, paying tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Evra visited the memorial on Wednesday and later shared footage of the visit on social media, describing the experience as emotional and saying that understanding a country’s history is essential to understanding its people.
“I want to send my condolences to my Rwandan brothers and sisters for what happened,” Evra said.
The former France international said the past cannot be changed but praised Rwanda’s progress since the genocide, describing the country’s reconstruction as an example for others.
Evra also recalled meeting President Paul Kagame in the past and said learning more about Rwanda’s history had given him greater respect for the challenges the country has overcome.
“Respect Rwanda. The past must not be forgotten, and the future must be protected,” he said.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Evra, 45, is in Rwanda ahead of the annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony scheduled to take place in Kinigi, Musanze.
The former defender enjoyed a successful career with Manchester United, where he won five Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League. He also played for Juventus, Marseille, Monaco, Nice and West Ham United before retiring from professional football in 2019.
Born in Senegal, Evra represented France 81 times.
