Yesterday, the United Nations installed the “Kwibuka Flame of Hope.” It is the first permanent tribute to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi at such a prominent institution. It didn’t make big headlines, but it now stands as a lasting reminder of the more than one million lives lost in just 100 days.
For those of us who survived, this means a lot. It recognizes our pain and the lives of our loved ones, taken simply because they were Tutsi.
According to the UN press release from September 12, 2024, the statue is located in the north garden area at the UN Headquarters in New York. It is visible from the Visitors’ Plaza, near the entrance at 46th Street and First Avenue.
The monument is not just for us but for the world. Like the Holocaust, the genocide against the Tutsi is often denied or distorted. I hope having it at the UN will help push back against that.
For me, seeing this tribute in New York, at an institution that once ignored our cries, is both bittersweet and somewhat healing. It means our story is now recognized far beyond Rwanda. Just a few years ago, we had to fight to get the UN to call the genocide against the Tutsi by its proper name instead of vague terms like “Rwandan genocide.” This monument uses the correct name, and that matters.
For more details, you can read the full press release here. Ends.
Albert Gasake, September 13, 2024.
Leave a Reply