“Art for Memories”, a digital platform dedicated to preserving the memories of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi through art, was officially launched in Kigali on Thursday, May 29. It is the first-ever digital platform in Rwanda to feature newly created portraits of Genocide victims, both the deceased and missing, reconstructed from old, often damaged photographs. The platform also hosts digitized stories and testimonies from survivors who voluntarily share their stories. ALSO READ; Genocide commemoration: Why we remember Spearheaded by King Ngabo, a creative and founder of Ingabo Corner, the initiative supports Genocide survivors by preserving and restoring photos of Genocide victims using digital art, free of charge. It aims to keep the memory of the Genocide alive for future generations. “This was timely, as many people in Rwanda now have access to the internet. I wanted to bring memories closer to everyone, wherever they are. The application is available for free on Google Play Store for Android users and on App Store for iPhone users. Whatever is there, is downloaded for free,” he noted. “We are looking forward to hiring many young artistes to work on as many portraits as possible and to further develop the platform for sustainable, long-term use,” he added. Ngabo said the idea was inspired by a random conversation he had some time ago with a Genocide survivor who said that she no longer has any surviving family members. Some were confirmed dead and others are still missing since the Genocide. “It deeply moved me and stayed with me. From that moment, I was determined to do something meaningful and today, we are launching the platform.” So far, King Ngabo and his team have been able to restore and bring back to life over 500 illustrated photographs, with more still in pipeline. He added that the platform also features survivor stories available in three languages; English, Kinyarwanda, and French, as they continue working on adding an audio option. “My intention is to not only support Genocide survivors but also educate the world, starting with Rwandans, especially the youth,” he explained. The project was funded by the Rwanda Development Bank (BRD). He said that, if Ibuka approves it, he plans to engage with Ibuka chapters abroad, particularly in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, and other countries. His goal is to encourage broader participation and to collect as many stories and photos as he can.
