Four of Rwanda’s memorial sites, which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023, will be used as educational centres targeting youth aged 12 to 18, officials said. This was announced on Tuesday, June 9, at the launch of a project called Strengthening Educational Capacities at Rwanda's Memorial Sites held at Kigali Genocide Memorial. The project is part of efforts to preserve memory and history of the 199 Genocide against the Tutsi and will help counter the spread of genocide denial and misinformation online, distorted narratives about Rwanda's history. Through improved educational approaches and stronger institutional collaboration, the initiative seeks to ensure that memorial sites continue to serve as important spaces for learning, remembrance, critical reflection, and the prevention of genocide and other atrocities. The project will be implemented through a partnership involving the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), the Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO, and AEGIS Trust Rwanda. ALSO READ: Education and the long struggle against genocide ideology The UNESCO-listed sites are Murambi Genocide Memorial in Nyamagabe District, Nyamata Genocide Memorial in Bugesera District, Kigali Genocide Memorial, and Bisesero Genocide Memorial in Karongi District. Joelle Benitha Habiyambere, Programmes and Partnerships Officer at AEGIS Trust Rwanda, explained that the one-year project will support the development of educational resources, strengthen collaboration between the memorials and the education sector, and enhance the skills of educators and memorial professionals to deliver impactful learning experiences for students and visitors. “Starting this month, the project will kick off with schools located near the four selected memorial sites,” she said. “Although students have regularly visited memorials, there have been gaps in providing thorough explanations to young people, many of whom have already been exposed to misinformation found online.” “This has fueled confusion and raised questions, particularly after visits, among students, tour guides, and parents. We want to make the information clearer and more accessible to everyone,” she added. Habiyambere said that educational sessions will be conducted before, during and after visits to ensure that accurate information is effectively conveyed. The first phase of the project will reach approximately 1,500 people before expanding to additional memorial sites and schools as the initiative progresses. “We recognize that the internet contains a great deal of misinformation, yet we have memorial sites that serve as powerful places of learning and truth,” she said. “They preserve historical facts that cannot be distorted or manipulated. That is why our focus is on these sites, which will serve as trusted hubs for educating young people and promoting a deeper understanding of history.” ALSO READ: Why Rwanda cannot ignore the threat of genocide ideology next door According to Karel Fracapane, a UNESCO Specialist on Hate Speech and Genocide Prevention, the inscription was a reminder of the immensity of the crime and of its enduring legacy. “The message here is that a genocide such as what happened in Rwanda in 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi, has universal relevance still today and will keep having this universal relevance and respect,” he noted. “The memorial sites of Nyamata, Murambi, Bisesero and Kigali Genocide Memorial inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, bear witness to the unspeakable. They also fulfil an essential social function, shaping collective understanding and supporting civic engagement,” he said. “A culture of remembrance grounded in non-violence is a constant and ongoing process, like peace itself to overcome social divisions and strengthen responsible citizenship,” he added. ALSO READ: A preventable genocide, a denied responsibility: What ‘Corridors of Power’ reveals about Rwanda Rose Baguma, Director General of Education Policy and Analysis at the Ministry of Education, noted that the objective is to connect classroom learning with tangible historical facts. “Rwanda has made remarkable progress in rebuilding a united, resilient and forward-looking society,” Baguma said. “Education has been at the heart of this transformation. Through our education system, we strive not only to equip learners with knowledge and skills, but also to nurture responsible citizens who understand their history, embrace unity and contribute to sustainability.” “We acknowledge that this project cannot be overstated,” she noted. “Rwanda’s Genocide memorials are more than places of remembrance to us as educationists. They are powerful spaces for learning, for reflection and dialogue.” “For our learners in schools, this project will provide age-appropriate, engaging, trauma-sensitive educational materials that bring history to life and encourage critical thinking, empathy and responsible citizenship,” she added.
