Published on: 2026-04-09
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Thirty-two years ago in Rwanda, a genocidal campaign against the Tutsi people began, resulting in the death of more than one million people. On Tuesday, the United Nations Organization held events aimed at preserving the memory of the tragedy and preventing its recurrence.
Serge Gasore’s childhood is hard to describe as anything other than a nightmare. In 1994, when the genocide against the Tutsi began in Rwanda, he was still a child and several times barely survived. His mother was killed, and his grandmother died as a result of a grenade explosion in a church where the Tutsi were hiding. The boy hid from attackers for weeks, but eventually he was drawn into the conflict: at the age of nine, he was forced to fight as part of the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
Later, as an adult, Gazore was able to leave Rwanda and move to the United States, where together with his wife he founded the nonprofit organization Rwanda Children. It helps children in his native country by providing them with housing, food, medical care, and education.
[embedded content]
The story of Gazore is just one of thousands of stories of people who decades later continue to rebuild their lives after the events of 1994. At that time, in less than three months, more than a million people were killed — predominantly Tutsi, as well as moderate Hutus and representatives of other groups who opposed the genocide.
On Tuesday, Gazore and another person who survived this tragedy and lost 25 members of his family, Marcel Mutsindashyaka, shared their stories at a ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York. The event was timed toInternational Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which is observed on April 7.
“Learn lessons from past mistakes”
Speaking at the ceremony on behalf of the UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio GuterresAnd the head of his office, Kortenei Rattrei, emphasized that the world is obliged not only to remember the tragedy, but also to bear responsibility for preventing similar crimes.
According to the head of the UN, the genocide did not occur spontaneously: it was “deliberate, premeditated, and organized.” It was preceded by propaganda of hatred and dehumanization, which pushed society towards violence.
The Secretary-General also acknowledged the failure of the international community, which did not respond to obvious warning signals. According to him, today the spread of hate speech has become even more widespread and rapid thanks to digital platforms, which increases the risk of similar tragedies happening again.
“It is not enough just to remember those who died. We must learn lessons from past mistakes and protect those who live, and to do this, reject hatred, provocative rhetoric, and calls for violence,” says the message from Guterres.
The UN called on states to strengthen international law, protect human rights, and counter impunity, as well as to accede to the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.