Between 800,000 and one million Rwandans, mostly Tutsis and Hutus of moderate political persuasion, were killed by extremist factions during nearly three months in 1994, an event known as the Bloody Spring.

The Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the AU Commission, in partnership with the Rwandan Embassy in Ethiopia, and the Permanent Mission to the continental organization, organized the commemoration under the motto: “Remember-Unite-Renew.”

The event that remembers the atrocities brought by the 1994 genocide, is a call to come together in the fight against this kind of extermination, its ideology, hate speech, and other crimes against humanity, and reaffirm the determination to ensure that it never happens again, a press release underscored.

The AU considers the anniversary a significant moment to remember the victims, show solidarity with the survivors, and learn about the country’s history of reconciliation, conflict resolution mechanisms, nation-building, and local solutions.

Representatives of AU member states, the Commission, the accredited diplomatic corps, religious and human rights institutions, intergovernmental and civil society organizations, UN agencies, research centers, and international organizations, among others, attend the commemoration.

jdt/iff/lam/nmr