Each year, beginning on April 7, Rwanda enters 100 days of national remembrance known as Kwibuka, a Kinyarwanda word meaning to remember. This solemn time marks the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and invites all Rwandans, especially the youth, to reflect, learn, and honour the lives lost. ALSO READ: Speech by the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement at the 31st commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi While many make quiet visits to nearby memorials, others gather in community to mourn together, to speak, to listen. If you're looking to mark this period with deeper reflection and connection, here are a few upcoming events to consider. ALSO READ: Which mental health helplines can you use for support during the commemoration period? And this is just the beginning; the calendar will continue to grow as the remembrance unfolds. Our Past 2025 Now in its 14th edition, Our Past returns as a deeply rooted, youth-led commemoration event under the Kwibuka 31 programme. For over a decade, the annual event has fostered spaces where Rwandan youth learn, remember, and draw strength from the nation’s history. The message is clear: we are the custodians of memory. As the generation that inherited the peace so painfully rebuilt, we must carry forward a legacy of resilience, unity, and compassion. Join Our Past this Wednesday, April 9, at the Nyanza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial. Doors open at 4:30 PM; the event begins promptly at 6:00 PM. Please arrive on time. Punctuality honors the spirit of the occasion. Bring: a hoodie or warm sweater (it might get chilly) or an umbrella (in case of rain). But don’t bring caps or sharp, pointed or blunt objects. Open Mic: Kwibuka 31 Special Edition Hosted by Hottempah Collective in collaboration with CHUB Design Lab and Digital Kwibuka, this evening of poetry and music is a tribute to the power of art in remembrance. Come and share or simply bear witness as voices rise to honour lives lost and express the pain, hope, and healing that words alone cannot contain. Join us on Thursday, April 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the CcHUB Design Lab, 1 KG 546 Street, Golden Plaza, Kacyiru. Dress in black or grey as a sign of mourning. Documentary Screening: Rwanda—The Silence of Words This powerful film by Michaël Sztanke and Gaël Faye follows the stories of three Rwandan women Genocide survivors who, after losing family members in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, found themselves in refugee camps under Operation Turquoise. There, they say, they endured further trauma at the hands of French troops. The documentary is less an investigation than it is an act of witness—an intimate, haunting tribute to the voices that have long remained in silence. As Gaël Faye writes, “The history of a genocide is never finished being written.” Join the screening on Wednesday, April 16, at L’Espace, 11 KG 28 Avenue, beginning at 7:00 PM. An Intergenerational Voice – Documentary & Dialogue “How do you recover from three decades of learning to hate, three months of mass killings, and then speak of unity just 30 years later?” That question lies at the heart of An Intergenerational Voice, a documentary directed by Michaël, centered around a stirring performance by Yannick. Structured in three blocks representing three generations, the film offers a lyrical meditation on Rwanda’s evolving relationship with memory: — The one who bore the loss and lives with shame. — The one who labors to repair, restore, and maintain. — The one who must now imagine the future. Through this artistic lens, the film explores how remembrance is passed down and transformed between generations. The screening will be followed by a live discussion on memory, legacy, and the quiet power of intergenerational healing. Join An Intergenerational Voice on Saturday, April 19, at L’Espace, 11 KG 28 Avenue. Doors open at 7:00 PM. 30 Years, 30 Stories – Book Launch As Rwanda marks the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, a new literary offering invites us to pause, listen, and reflect. 30 Years, 30 Stories is a collection of personal testimonies of those who survived and those born in the aftermath. These stories combine to create an ensemble of suffering, tenacity, and deep humanity. They show what was restored as well as what was lost: faith in one another, families, and futures. More than a historical document, the book is a tribute to resilience. It reminds us that even in our darkest hours, hope remains possible and that the path forward begins with understanding, empathy, and shared memory. The official launch takes place Wednesday, April 30, at the Kigali Convention Center, beginning at 5:00 PM. Let these stories find you and stay with you.
