{"id":2000108732,"date":"2026-04-15T11:46:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:46:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/?p=2000108732"},"modified":"2026-04-15T11:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T09:47:13","slug":"rwandans-in-denmark-urged-to-stand-firm-against-genocide-denial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwandans-in-denmark-urged-to-stand-firm-against-genocide-denial\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwandans in Denmark urged to stand firm against genocide denial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The commemoration event was jointly organized by Ibuka-Denmark and the Embassy of Rwanda in Sweden, which also covers several Nordic countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was attended by Geraldine Umutesi, First Counsellor at the embassy, who represented Ambassador Diane Gashumba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event featured testimonies from survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, sharing how they endured and survived the atrocities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youth performances, including songs focused on comfort and remembrance, were presented alongside discussions on the historical context that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The commemoration began with a remembrance walk, followed by opening remarks from Paul Nkubana, head of the Rwandan community in Denmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is an annual event in our community. Thank you for joining Rwandans and their friends here, because remembrance concerns us all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Egide Semukanya, representing Ibuka in Denmark, delivered a talk focusing on the historical events that led to the Genocide against the Tutsi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (Inkotanyi), many of whose members lost their lives while stopping the genocide and saving survivors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semukanya also highlighted Rwanda\u2019s progress today, emphasizing governance rooted in unity beyond ethnic divisions, and collective citizen participation in national development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A panel discussion moderated by Jackline Hansen brought together speakers including Dr. Innocent Ngoga, Egide Semukanya, youth representative Jean Claude Gakimbiri, and Geraldine Umutesi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her remarks, Umutesi emphasized that today\u2019s Rwanda, under the visionary leadership of President Paul Kagame, promotes unity through initiatives such as the Ndi Umunyarwanda program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAvoid divisionism, because it is what led us to where we are today, remembering victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She urged participants to actively challenge genocide denial and trivialization, particularly when motivated by personal or political interests, calling for adherence to historical truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe truth is clear and visible to everyone\u2014except those who have an interest in hiding what they or their parents did,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Umutesi also reminded attendees that during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda was largely abandoned as the international community stood by. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She warned that similar patterns appear to be unfolding today in Democratic Republic of the Congo, where violence targeting Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, especially Tutsis, continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose who once destroyed Rwanda are now collaborating with authorities in the DRC in acts of violence and killings, while the world watches. It is painful that the lessons from Rwanda\u2019s history have not been learned,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Umutesi concluded by commending the Rwandan community leadership in Denmark, particularly those in Jutland and Funen, for organizing the commemoration, and reassured them of the embassy\u2019s continued support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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Egide Victor Semukanya, head of Ibuka Denmark, emphasized that remembrance concerns everyone.
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Geraldine Umutesi, First Counsellor at the Embassy of Rwanda, attended the commemoration event.
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Dr. Innocent Ngoga, Egide Semukanya (head of Ibuka Denmark), Jean Claude Gakimbiri, and Geraldine Umutesi, First Counsellor at the Embassy of Rwanda to the Nordic countries, delivered presentations during the event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The discussion session was moderated by Jackline Hansen and brought together Dr. Innocent Ngoga, Egide Semukanya (head of Ibuka Denmark), Jean Claude Gakimbiri, and Geraldine Umutesi.
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Walk to remember <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rwandans in Jutland and Funen in Denmark have come together for the 32nd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, urging vigilance against denial for personal gain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2000108740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[151,69],"byline":[2285],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000108732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social","tag-editors-choice","tag-homehighlights","byline-karirima-a-ngarambe-8"],"bylines":[{"id":2285,"name":"Karirima A. Ngarambe","slug":"karirima-a-ngarambe-8","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"contributors":[{"id":2285,"name":"Karirima A. Ngarambe","slug":"karirima-a-ngarambe-8","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"featured_image":{"id":2000108740,"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","alt":"","caption":"Egide Victor Semukanya, head of Ibuka Denmark, emphasized that remembrance concerns everyone.\n","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","width":150,"height":100},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","width":300,"height":200},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","width":768,"height":512},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1-7.jpg","width":1000,"height":667}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000108732"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000108770,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000108732\/revisions\/2000108770"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000108740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000108732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000108732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000108732"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000108732"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000108732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}