Rwanda's Ambassador to Senegal, Hassan Naciri, led a commemoration ceremony in Dakar on April 7, 2026, marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The event, known as Kwibuka (Remembrance), honored the more than 800,000 people killed in the 100-day massacre.
In his address, Ambassador Naciri emphasized the critical importance of collective memory to prevent history from repeating itself. He stated that remembrance is a duty for both survivors and the international community, highlighting the role of education in fighting genocide ideology and denial.
The ceremony in Dakar is part of a global series of events held during the official mourning period, which runs from April 7 to July 4. Similar commemorations took place at Rwandan diplomatic missions worldwide and within Rwanda, where a national flame of mourning was lit at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
The 1994 genocide, which began after the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana, saw extremist Hutu militias and sections of the military systematically kill Tutsi civilians and moderate Hutus. The international community has been widely criticized for its failure to intervene during the atrocities.
