UNESCO, Rwanda Strengthen Educational Role of Genocide Memorial Sites

The genocide, which took place between April and July 1994, resulted in the deaths of nearly one million people, primarily from the Tutsi ethnic group, but also including moderate Hutus and Twa.

On April 7, 2025, marking 31 years since the start of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, UNESCO and the Rwandan government unveiled plans to enhance the educational impact of Rwanda’s genocide memorials. Four of these sites—Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero—were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, and now, with this new initiative, UNESCO aims to expand their role as key educational tools for future generations.

The announcement was made during a solemn commemorative ceremony held at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. The event, dedicated to remembering the victims of the genocide, highlighted the ongoing collaboration between UNESCO, the Rwandan government, and international partners to ensure the tragedy’s lessons are passed on, particularly to the younger generations in Rwanda and around the world.

The genocide, which took place between April and July 1994, resulted in the deaths of nearly one million people, primarily from the Tutsi ethnic group, but also including moderate Hutus and Twa. The goal of the new initiative is to reinforce the role of these memorial sites as educational tools, ensuring they convey not only the scale of the tragedy but also the importance of preventing future atrocities. Approximately 65% of Rwanda's current population was born after 1994, making it crucial to find effective ways to educate the younger generation about the events and the need for global tolerance and reconciliation.

Training and Enhancement of Memorial Sites

The plan includes extensive training for staff and managers of the genocide memorial sites, with a focus on preparing them to guide school groups and visitors in an educational context. UNESCO will send a team of 15 young researchers, multimedia professionals, and Rwandan artists to support the enhancement of the exhibitions at these sites. Their work will include improving signage, digitizing survivor testimonies, and creating compelling multimedia content, including documentary films and photographic exhibitions, to provide a deeper, more personal insight into the experiences of survivors.

The initiative emphasizes "living memory," which involves preserving the voices of those who lived through the genocide. Digital archives will be created from survivor interviews and other first-hand accounts, allowing visitors and educators to access personal testimonies that tell the story of the genocide from multiple perspectives.

Additionally, UNESCO will facilitate the formation of partnerships between the memorials, survivor associations, and the broader educational community. The goal is to share expertise among memorial staff, enabling them to better engage with students and visitors, and to create an integrated network of resources for educators.

Educational Materials for Schools and Teachers

One of the most significant components of the project is the development of new educational materials tailored to local contexts. UNESCO will produce curriculum guides, lesson plans, and other resources in three languages—Kinyarwanda, English, and French—to help teachers prepare their students for visits to the memorial sites. These materials will not only focus on the historical facts of the genocide but also explore themes of reconciliation, human rights, and the consequences of hate.

Young Rwandan content creators will be engaged to create social media campaigns that promote the memorial sites and contribute to the broader effort to combat online misinformation and historical denial. These digital campaigns will highlight the importance of remembering the genocide, ensuring that future generations understand the significance of preserving historical truth in an age of rapidly evolving media and information.

UNESCO’s Global Commitment to Teaching Genocides

This initiative is part of UNESCO's broader commitment to Holocaust and genocide education, which is embodied in its International Programme on Holocaust and Genocide Education. The program, developed in partnership with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, aims to prevent future genocides by teaching young people about the horrors of the past and the importance of tolerance and human dignity.

UNESCO’s educational efforts are not limited to Rwanda. The organization is working with countries around the world to ensure that the lessons of past genocides are taught in schools and that the memory of the victims is preserved. This year, the program will be extended to approximately 20 more countries, with support from Canada and the United States.

In addition to its work in Rwanda, UNESCO has developed numerous resources for educators worldwide. For example, the "Teaching to Prevent Genocide: A Guide for Teachers in Africa" provides African educators with concrete strategies to teach about violent pasts and foster a culture of peace and reconciliation in the classroom.

Preserving the Memory and Lessons of the Genocide

As part of its ongoing efforts, UNESCO continues to work with the Rwandan government to ensure that the memorials serve as not only places of reflection but also as hubs for learning and dialogue. This initiative will also support the goal of preventing genocide denial and the distortion of historical facts, which remains a significant challenge in the digital age. The educational programming being developed is designed to ensure that the memory of the 1994 genocide is preserved for future generations while also promoting a message of peace, unity, and the importance of preventing hate and violence.

Through these efforts, UNESCO aims to ensure that Rwanda’s genocide memorial sites do more than just honor the victims; they will play a vital role in teaching the world’s youth about the dangers of intolerance and the need for global solidarity in the face of injustice.