On Wednesday, 11 September, the “Kwibuka Flame of Hope” was installed in the north garden area at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The flame will stand as a permanent memorial in tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and “serve as a powerful reminder of the shared responsibility to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again,” Rwanda’s Permanent Mission to the UN said in a statement.
It is the first permanent tribute to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi installed at the UN Headquarters.
As leaders from across the globe gather in New York for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, the installation of the Kwibuka Flame of Hope at the UN headquarters sends a significant and timely message, officials said.
“The Kwibuka Flame of Hope will burn forever as a visual reminder for the international community and the many visitors to the United Nations about speaking out and countering all forms of hate speech,” said Melissa Fleming, the Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Global Communications, which manages the General Assembly-mandated Outreach Programme on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the United Nations.
“It serves as a solemn reminder of the responsibility that we, as diplomats and representatives of the international community, bear in preventing atrocities. The flame urges us to act when confronted with early warning signs of mass violence, to ensure that the lessons of Rwanda are not forgotten.”
The Kwibuka Flame of Hope consists of a grey foam core flame extending from a bi-leveled black round base with the wording “The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda REMEMBER – UNITE – RENEW” and “KWIBUKA FLAME OF HOPE”.
The monument reflects Rwanda’s dedication to combating genocide ideology, denial, and hate speech while fostering a global commitment to ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.
Kwibuka Flame of Hope Installed at UN Headquarters
