France: First permanent memorial for Genocide against the Tutsi to be unveiled

The first permanent memorial for the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is set to be unveiled in Paris on Tuesday, June 2. Senior officials from Rwanda and France are expected to attend the inauguration ceremony for the monument called “L’Archive.” ALSO READ: France to build memorial for victims of Genocide against Tutsi Installed on the Esplanade Habib Bourguiba on the banks of the Seine in the Quai d’Orsay district of Paris, the monument consists of two large black brass steles mounted on white and black lava stones. The structure symbolizes an archive of voices, memories, experiences, and hopes connected to victims and survivors of the Genocide that claimed over one million lives in 100 days. The memorial bears inscriptions in French, English, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili. A QR code will also be added to provide visitors with additional information about the Genocide and the significance of the site. The initiative dates back to 2019, when Ibuka France formally requested the establishment of a memorial from French President Emmanuel Macron. In 2022, more than 40 artists submitted proposals for the project. Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba, who is based in Berlin, was selected to design the memorial. The site is intended to serve as a permanent public place of remembrance and reflection for the more than one million lives lost during the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The memorial has been entered into the French National Heritage Register (Registre du Patrimoine National Français), granting it state protection and ensuring its preservation for future generations.

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France: First permanent memorial for Genocide against the Tutsi to be unveiled