Rwandans in different cities across Canada gathered Friday for the 23rd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In Ottawa, more than 300 Rwandans and friends of Rwanda, including Government of Canada representatives, members of parliament and representatives of Armenian and Jewish communities, convened at the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa for a memorial event. Chargé d’Affaires at the Rwandan High Commission in Canada Shakilla Umutoni thanked all the guests for joining with Rwandans to remember the more than a million people who perished in 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. She conveyed a message of hope and solidarity to survivors. Umutoni also urged all those present to join the campaign against genocide ideology, which starts by rightly naming what happened in Rwanda, which is not “Rwandan genocide” or anything else but “the Genocide against the Tutsi”. Matt DeCourcey, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign affairs of Canada, who was the chief mourner, expressed Canada’s support to Rwanda in its recovery process and commended the positive turnaround in transforming Rwanda into a promising country for all Rwandans. Commemoration in Edmonton In Edmonton, the event was attended by over 180 people from the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda. The city of Edmonton proclaimed April 7 the Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day. Calgary In Calgary, the Commemoration took place on Saturday, April 8, at Mount Royal University from 3p.m to 6p.m.The event was attended by over a dozen people from the Rwandan Community and friends of Rwanda in Calgary. Montreal Meanwhile in Montreal, PAGE Rwanda with the McGill Rwandan Students organised the commemoration at McGill University in Montreal. The event was attended by around 300 people from Rwandan community members and friends of Rwanda in Montreal. The theme of the day was “Life after Genocide: Memory and Transmission.” Professor Irwin Kotler, former MP and Minister of Justice in Canada, was one of the panellists. Quebec In Quebec, the event was attended by 120 people, among them members of the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda in Quebec city. In attendance was Philippe Novakovic, a Member of Parliament in Canada, who was the chief mourner, among others. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
