On 14 April, hundreds gathered at the United Nations Office at Geneva for the 31st Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in a solemn ceremony co-organized by the Embassy of Rwanda to Switzerland and Permanent Mission to the United Nations at Geneva, and the United Nations Office at Geneva.

On 14 April, hundreds gathered at the United Nations Office at Geneva for the 31st Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in a solemn ceremony co-organized by the Embassy of Rwanda to Switzerland and Permanent Mission to the United Nations at Geneva, and the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Held in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room of the Palais des Nations, UN Headquarters at Geneva, the ceremony brought together Rwandans, friends of Rwanda, diplomats, UN officials, and university students in a moment of remembrance, reflection, and renewed commitment to the promise of “Never Again.”

On the same day earlier, a Students Conference on the 31st Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was held. A group of students from the University of Vienna in Austria explored the role of literature in preserving memory and confronting genocide denial, reaffirming the importance of educating future generations.

Sissi Domitrie Mukanyiligira, survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and author of Do not accept to die, retraced her journey of survival, a life shaped by unbearable loss, near-death encounters, and an unyielding will to live. Her voice carried more than memory; it stood as a solemn tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Delivering Rwanda’s statement, Mr. Edmond Tubanambazi, First Counsellor and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Rwanda, reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to fighting genocide ideology, countering genocidal denial, and demanding justice for genocide survivors.

He challenged the international community to face an uncomfortable truth, pointing out that the international community has not learned from its failure to stop the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, nor has it done enough to render justice to genocide survivors and to prevent genocide from happening again anywhere in the world, citing as evidence the fact that Genocide fugitives are still at large in some countries because of lack of political will to act. Referring to the genocide ideology that is persistent in the region, he cautioned that no vested interests should prevail over the warning signs of another genocide in the region.

He paid tribute to the courage and resilience of survivors like Ms. Mukanyiligira and emphasized the importance of educating youth to resist historical distortion, reminding attendees that the Genocide against the Tutsi was the culmination of decades long ethnic-based hate and ideology of division instigated, taught and spread since the colonial period by colonial administrations.

In her address, Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of UN Geneva, delivered the Secretary-General’s message and expressed solidarity with the people of Rwanda. Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered a reflection on the need to uphold international commitments to prevent genocide, calling on the international community to address atrocity crimes wherever they occur.

César Murangira, President of IBUKA Mémoire et Justice Suisse, delivered a powerful message grounded in historical clarity and moral urgency. He recalled how the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was the result of a long process of racial ideology, deeply rooted in colonial manipulation and reinforced by propaganda and institutional complicity. He warned that the same genocidal rhetoric continues to resurface, particularly in the ongoing targeting of Kinyarwanda-speaking Tutsi communities in Eastern DRC. Echoing this warning, Itonde Kakoma of Interpeace urged global actors to confront the cyclical nature of violence, and to invest in healing that spans generations.

Fifteen-year-old Rwandan student Belko Kenza Naike moved the audience with a stirring poem titled “Rwanda, essuie tes larmes!”. Her message reflected the voice of a new generation raised in remembrance and committed to protecting the truth. Seventeen-year-old pianist Peter Grove offered a moving tribute through music, his performance echoing the solemnity of the occasion and offering a moment of quiet reflection that resonated deeply with those in attendance.

This ceremony formed part of a broader series of commemorative events marking Kwibuka31 across Switzerland. These included a wreath-laying ceremony at Place des Nations in Geneva on 7 April, and a memorial vigil in Lausanne on 12 April. Each event contributed to preserving memory and reaffirming solidarity with genocide survivors and the Rwandan people.

As the lights dimmed at the UN Office at Geneva, the message of the day remained clear: truth must be protected, justice must be pursued, and the memory of the victims must guide humanity’s path forward to ensure that no genocide happens again — anywhere in the world.