Director-General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Every April, the world marks the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, to honor the victims of one of the most brutal atrocities in modern history, when more than one million people were slaughtered in just 100 days.
It is a painful yet necessary commemoration in order not to forget what happened 30 years ago in Rwanda.
It is a moment of remorse and reflection.
And as we reflect on this sombre moment in history, to learn from it, we must also look to the resilience of genocide survivors, to be inspired by it.
Survivors like Claver Irakoze, who spoke at the Rwanda genocide commemoration event at the UN General Assembly Hall last week.
He was a child when he watched a group of soldiers take away his father and 60 other men, never to be seen again.
Today he is an author and has written two children’s books, using his own experience to teach lessons of hope and healing.
Survivors like Laurence Niyonangira, whose story is at the center of a new UN exhibit about the Rwanda genocide and the power of reconciliation.
She lost 37 members of her family, but forgave one of the men who participated in the killing of her family after he wrote to her from prison to confess and ask for forgiveness. Today, she calls him a friend.
Survivors like Marie Louise Ayinkamiye who spoke at the genocide commemoration event that brought together world leaders in Kigali last week.
She was only 11 years-old when her father and four siblings were killed, but she has rebuilt her life, and today she is a mother of five and a Master’s Degree holder.
The determination of Rwanda genocide survivors to chart a new course towards a more peaceful future is a lesson that many need to learn, as the world grapples with conflicts and crises.
In many corners of the globe, violent conflicts are raging, and innocent civilians are bearing the brunt of the consequences.
International law is being trampled on, including humanitarian law, and violations are becoming more frequent and flagrant.
Across continents, warring parties are charging towards disaster, leaving ashes of humanity and dignity in their wake.
Tragic images of death, destruction, starvation, and suffering are threatening to become an unremarkable norm.
Meanwhile, misinformation and hate speech continue to fuel violence and human rights violations worldwide.
And food insecurity, water shortages, and displacement are increasing as conflict and instability spread and the planet warms.
The risks of catastrophe are great, and they must force us to heed the warnings of the past.
In 1994, the world did not stand with the people of Rwanda. But now, we must learn the hard lessons of history.
We must recognize and address the warning signs of conflict and genocide, and we must listen to the pleas and calls for help coming from the vulnerable around the world.
We must learn from our failures and be prepared to respond to communities in crisis more quickly and more effectively, raising our voices to say: “never again”.
And we must build trust within our global community by returning to the timeless principles of the United Nations Charter.
World leaders have an obligation to act responsibly, and not to allow atrocities to happen anywhere, under any pretext.
This is, and should be, the best way to pay respect to the memory of those who perished in 1994.
Ladies and gentlemen,
At the commemoration ceremony in Kigali, Rwandan artists demonstrated the country's future as the daily work of rebuilding, brick by brick.
We must all learn from this example.
We must build peace, step by step.
And the first step is to recognize the humanity and dignity of every person, and to reject the hate and prejudice that pave the way to tragedy.
Together, we can turn back from the brink, and build a more just, inclusive, and resilient world.
Thank you.