Rwandans and friends of Rwanda in Turkey this week gathered at the Turkish National library in Ankara, to commemorate the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The event was organized in the form of a Symposium & Photo Gallery. The exhibition was launched by the Ambassador of Rwanda to Turkey, Williams Nkurunziza and Director General of the Turkish National Library, Mr Zulfi Toman.

Over 200 guests attended the event including Rwandans, friends of Rwanda in Turkey and members of the Turkish Business Community who have visited Rwanda in the past.

The event included a timeline photo gallery of events leading up to the Genocide.

In his remarks, Ambassador Nkurunziza stated that "We are gathered to remember and honor those who perished; To comfort those who survived and to renew our commitment to a better future for Rwanda's children, including a world without prejudice.”

In line with this year’s theme, "fighting the Genocide ideology” Ambassador Nkurunziza reminded the audience that "We dishonor the memory of the victims and sell short the dreams of a new generation when our belief in freedom of expression allows some people space to fabricate and articulate a narrative of genocide denial."

Ambassadors and Heads of Missions representing their respective countries led the audience in the lighting of the Flame of Remembrance.

Prof. Dr. Sedat Aybar of Aydın University and former Judge at ICTR Aydın Sefa Akay expressed their solidarity with the Rwandan People and the Victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and vowed to continue the fight against Genocide ideology.

Ambassador Nkurunziza thanked the guests that attended the commemoration and added, "We applaud global unity that has underpinned the perennial hunt for and prosecution of the architects of the Holocaust in Germany.

The same unity must be seen in the hunt for the architects and perpetrators of similar horrors in Rwanda. " Nkurunziza added.