For the very first time in my life, last month I visited a genocide memorial site. I felt nervous and unsure about what to expect. I grew up hearing stories about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, as is rightfully the case in our culture, but they never really came from people who had lost their families, friends, and everything they had. ALSO READ: What Kigali Genocide Memorial taught me They did not come from people who had lost hope in life, in humanity, and who, sadly, will carry trauma with them forever. This visit, along with my classmates, allowed me to understand the events that unfolded before, during, and after the Genocide as I deepened my understanding of my country’s history. ALSO READ: Lessons from Kigali Genocide Memorial through the lens of an Afghani student When we first arrived at Kigali Genocide Memorial, we watched a short film about it. Hearing the testimonies, my heart went out to all those who suffered and died without initially being properly honoured. I thought of the children who had no idea where their families were, and those who were forced to grow up too soon because they had lost their parents and relatives. ALSO READ: A preventable genocide, a denied responsibility: What ‘Corridors of Power’ reveals about Rwanda “After the Genocide, I was no longer a child, because those who would treat me like one, were gone,” one survivor testified. He was 10 during the Genocide. Throughout this humbling visit, I kept reading similar testimonies of innocent children that were brutally attacked, some in churches, others in their mother’s arms. I was shaking my head in disbelief. It was a complicated and sad time that I can’t help but wonder how people felt at that time. ALSO READ: Why Rwanda cannot ignore the threat of genocide ideology next door I also got to read about the children at ES Nyange school, in Ngororero District, who remained united, even when doing so cost some of them their lives and left others with permanent disabilities. ALSO READ: The lessons we should draw from Nyange heroes From their heartbreaking yet uplifting story, unity was the word that stood out most to me. I witnessed how, after the Genocide, our country slowly restarted, rebuilt, and re-constructed society and lives. ALSO READ: UNESCO-listed memorials to play key role in educating youth One big lesson I came away with is how patriotism has held our country together against all odds. Seeing how far we’ve come gives me hope for a better future, one that we are already building. ALSO READ: Kagame’s speech at inauguration of Genocide memorial in Paris I take it dear to my heart that Rwanda, my country, through lessons from our past, including preserving our history through places like memorial sites, will never ignore nor forget what happened. There is nothing shameful about remembering and protecting the truth surrounding our history, for it is drawing from that historical reality that we find the strength to confront anything that threatens to return us to those dark days. ALSO READ: All you need to know about Genocide memorial unveiled in France At the memorial, we read and learnt about the Genocide against the Jews - widely known as the Holocaust, and the Genocide against the Herero in Namibia. It was an eye-opening experience for me and my classmates. What a truly memorable experience for me. ALSO READ: Why the Agathe Kanziga genocide dossier matters I am grateful to my country for creating an environment that has nurtured me and other many young people of Rwanda into patriotic and proud citizens. To fellow young people, we must always uphold this fact: to serve your country, you must learn about its history. Twibuke twiyubaka! The writer is a student at Mother Mary International School Complex- Kibagabaga.
