The High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa organized an event on 7th April for the 18th commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.
The event was attended by about 200 people mainly from the Gauteng Province (Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg).
The event was marked by lighting candles, testimony from genocide survivor, songs of hope and the projection of a documentary entitled Iseta: the story behind the road block.
In his remarks, Bonaventure Kageruka, representing genocide survivors, highlighted the improvement of the life of survivors and the focus on the future 18 years after the loss of parents and brothers and subsequent trauma.
Iseta: the story behind the road block is a true-story documentary of Nick Hugues which recounts horror scene filmed on a quiet road in Kigali when the genocide had begun.
The documentary re-visits the scene following the cameraman, victims, survivors, killers and witnesses. From the original footage the story follows a thread of revelation, so many souls lost in the mist of ethnic hatred.
In his remarks to the public, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda, Vincent Karega, highlighted the importance of learning from the past to shape a better future.
He stressed the importance of seeing survivors and forgiven perpetrators or their relatives working for the development of their country.
The High Commissioner emphasized the need to undermine activities of those who tend to trivialize the 1994 genocide of Tutsis or change the History of Rwanda.
During this period of commemoration, the High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa intends to organize other events in Durban, Capetown, Pretoria and Johannesburg.
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