Sunday, April 6, 2008

Genocide Mourning Week Begins Tomorrow

During our time here, most team members have visited or plan to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which overlooks a mass grave of 250,000 victims of the genocide. The museum, filled with the photographs of victims and haunting images and descriptions of the genocide, serves as a permanent memorial to the victims and a place for survivors to grieve.

Tomorrow, the country begins its annual genocide mourning week April 7 to 13 in remembrance of the estimated one million people who lost their lives during the 1994 genocide.

Yesterday’s issue of The New Times, a daily newspaper in Rwanda, quoted U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: “May [the victims] rest in peace; my thoughts go to the survivors. May their courage and resilience serve as an inspiration to all of us.”

This year’s commemoration theme is “Let’s commemorate Genocide while fighting its ideology, rendering support to survivors and striving for development.”

2 comments:

Grampa said...

Well, Liz, Team Heart's actions are certainly consistent with this year's commemorative theme. Although I'm sure that all who went, or will go, to the museum will be sad for the past, but I'm sure you'll all be hopeful for the future, and proud of your role in it. You're all doing a wondeful job. Don't stop!

Anonymous said...

Marie & Terry
You have no idea how much I wish I was there!! I love the pictures of you guys. We miss you back here. I have no one to play with.
It sure is awfuly QUIET here on 12ABC. (I wonder why??)
All my love to you both.
Next year I hope to be there with you.
Love Christine