Staff and management of BDO Rwanda on Thursday, June 8, visited Kigali Genocide Memorial and paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Kigali Genocide Memorial, an important place of remembrance and learning which receives visitors from all around the world, is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Emmanuel Habineza, BDO Managing partner, said that the visit aimed at remembering and being connected again to the country’s dark history so as to learn and counter any attempts at sowing division amongst Rwandans.
Habineza said: "We should remember so that the history of what happened in our country isn’t buried. This is why, as BDO staff, we wanted to take this time and remember together with Rwandans emphasizing that what happened never happens ever again.”
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Remembering is a duty to everyone who wishes the best for the country, he said. The Memorial also serves to educate about how the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi took shape and examines genocide in the 20th century. The firm’s employees toured the Memorial site’s mass grave to get a better glimpse of how the Genocide was planned until 1994 when over a million Tutsi were slain in just 100 days.
Through a physical guide of the memorial exhibits, the group learned more about the history of Genocide and Rwanda&039;s journey to rebuilding. The visit to the Memorial by the BDO was in line with the 29th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Arlette Umwali, one of the employees at BDO Rwanda, said it was important to honor the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi because they deserve respect.
"Specifically, as Rwandans this is a great reminder of this bitter history; and we must ensure that it never happens again. Coming here as a firm was a great idea not just for Rwandans who work at the firm but also for the international employees to learn and get to know about our history,” she said.
"We don’t visit genocide memorial sites only because we are in the 100 days of commemoration. We remember every day because we can never forget those we loved dearly.”
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In February, the BDO Global CEO Partner, Pat Kramer, visited Rwanda and, together with his delegation, also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial.
About BDO
BDO is an international network of audit, tax, and advisory services firms, with a regional office in Rwanda. The firm has 1870 offices in 160 countries across the globe. Among various advisory services offered by BDO Rwanda, it has been conducting workshops with business players to raise awareness of new tax laws and made contributing suggestions to the government for revising tax laws to spur economic growth in the country. Operating out of one office in Kigali with 50 partners and staff, the organization serves medium-sized enterprises, large businesses, and cross-border corporations operating in all the major sectors of the economy.