Walk To Remember’ set for Sunday

Organisers of Walk To Remember are projecting that this year’s event will draw millions of Rwandans since it will be held on both district and national level.It is the first time ‘Walk To Remember’ is being held at both local and national level. The event, signified by a walk is organised to pay tribute to the over a million Rwandans who were killed in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.The walk is championed by Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP) and the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) and it will be held under the theme; “Remember, Honour and Rebuild.”Marc Gwamaka, the Director PLP, told reporters in Kigali, yesterday, that the walk is aimed at raising awareness about the causes and consequences of the Genocide and highlighting the role and responsibility people have to help prevent such atrocities.“We, the youth from Rwanda, know and believe that the only way to prevent another genocide is by educating people in the region and the whole world to stand against it,” he added.Gwamaka stressed that Rwanda’s youth are focused on remembering the past, adding that they have a capacity and willingness to build a better future for their country, free of hatred and divisionism. “These young people believe that Rwanda will continue to have a bright future and are living according to their motto: ‘Be the change’,” he noted.In Kigali, the walk starts at 3pm from the Parliament to Amahoro National Stadium with a commemorative candle lighting ceremony and reading of the names of some of those who lost their lives during the Genocide.The ‘Name Reading’ part of the event will see participants reading 100 names of people who were killed in the Genocide. According to Gwamaka, the names represent the 100 dark days of the genocide and each name represents 10,000 people killed in the tragedy.Throughout April, Rwandan youth living around the world will host ‘Walk to Remember’ and related activities on their campuses and within their communities.Worldwide march Such events will take place in 12 locations across the world. This will be the fifth time the event is held.PLP, a youth organisation that organises Walk to Remember was started in 2007 by a group of high school students. They organised the first Walk To Remember with no sponsorship in 2009. The event is expected to be attended by President Paul Kagame, among other officials.The organisation which has about 400 members managed to draw about 30,000 participants in the Walk To Remember event of last year.