Memorial ceremony at UN marks 21st anniversary of Rwanda genocide
Regine King shares her personal testimony at the memorial ceremony
The 21st annual commemoration of the Rwanda genocide was observed on Tuesday, 7 April 2015 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. A memorial ceremony was organized by the United Nations Department of Public Information in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations. The memorial ceremony included a candle lighting, a moment of silence, and remarks by the Secretary-General, the Vice-President of the General Assembly, the Permanent Observer of the African Union and the Ambassadors of the Republic of Rwanda and the United States. Dr. Régine King, a survivor of the Rwanda genocide and assistant professor of social work at the University of Manitoba, shared her personal testimony. Dr. King shared the podium with many esteemed dignitaries, including Samantha Power, United States Permanent Representative to the UN and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Memorial ceremony commemorates the 21st anniversary of the Rwanda genocide
The Outreach Programme on the Rwanda Genocide and the United Nations is an information and educational outreach programme run by the United Nations Department of Public Information. The programme was established by the General Assembly on 23 December 2005 to “mobilize civil society for Rwanda genocide victim remembrance and education in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.” The programme focuses on learning the lessons of the Rwanda genocide in order to help prevent similar acts in the future, as well as raising awareness of the lasting impact of genocide on the survivors and the challenges that they still face today.