CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Rwandan Community of P.E.I. will be commemorating the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi at UPEI’s MacMillan Hall on Friday 7-9 p.m.
At this event, the story of Rwanda will be shared along with testimonies from survivors. It will be an evening to remember and honour the lives of the victims, but also to talk about Rwanda’s journey towards reconciliation, peace and development.
On April 7, 1994, a genocide against the Tutsi sparked in Rwanda.
This was a systematic campaign by the Hutu ethnic majority aimed at wiping out each and every member of the minority Tutsi group. The genocide lasted a total of 100 days and claimed over one million lives of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
This is a story of ethnic tensions and divisionism that led to large scale massacres with the hopes of eliminating an entire ethnic group. Ever since the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has been rising from its ashes.
Within 25 years, a country that was deemed to be a lost nation was able to create a peaceful present and is striving to maintain a sustainable development for an even better future.
At the event, will be discussion on the aftermath of this genocide and Rwanda’s journey to both reconciliation and the creation of a better future for it’s citizens.