B-KELANA International Visits Ntarama Genocide Memorial – Honoring the Victims, Embracing Unity, and Renewing Commitment to Peace
As Rwanda marks the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, B-KELANA International (R) Ltd. visited the Ntarama Genocide Memorial Site in Bugesera District on June 20, 2025, as part of its ongoing commitment to remembrance, national unity, and peacebuilding. This visit is held under the Kwibuka31 theme: “Remember – Unite – Renew.”
Led by CPA Beatrice MUJAWAYEZU, the Managing Partner of B-KELANA International, the delegation guided through the site’s tragic yet powerful history by Mr. Antoine KAGABO, an official from the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement MINUBUMWE Rwanda
Honoring the Memory of the Victims
Ntarama, in Bugesera District, is a poignant genocide memorial. Once a refuge church, it became the site where thousands innocent Tutsi were killed in April 1994. Today, it honors their memory and preserves the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Bugesera has a deeper history as a place of forced exile for Tutsi since 1959, when they were sent to the tsetse fly–infested area where many died from the flies. Under colonial and post-colonial regimes, many endured hardship and exclusion there. By 1994, Bugesera was one of the areas most devastated by the genocide, with the massacre at Ntarama Church on April 15, where more than 5,000 people had sought refuge, standing as one of the most horrific atrocities.
The violence in the region continued until the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), bravely led on the frontlines by His Excellency Paul KAGAME https://www.paulkagame.rw/ , the President of the Republic of Rwanda, intervened, bringing the killings to an end, rescuing the survivors, and restoring a fragile sense of hope to Bugesera and the nation as a whole.
Guided by Mr. Antoine KAGABO, who provided a powerful and insightful explanation while walking through various sections of the memorial, the team was shown preserved materials and remnants—ranging from personal belongings and clothing to photographs, bodies of victims, and other items recovered from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. His guidance helped the team grasp the sheer brutality of the Genocide, which was carried out with unimaginable violence against the Tutsi. In a moment of deep reflection, participants laid wreaths and observed a silent tribute, honoring the victims and acknowledging the profound impact of the genocide.
B-KELANA International recognizes the importance of preserving this history, not only to remember the victims but also to bear witness, educate future generations, and reaffirm our collective pledge: Never Again.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s Path to Unity
The visit to Ntarama is an act of remembrance and a tribute to Rwanda’s profound journey of reconciliation for recovery. In the three decades since the genocide, Rwanda has made incredible strides in rebuilding its social fabric, strengthening national identity, and fostering peace among its citizens.
Through institutions like the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) and the strength of community-based initiatives, survivors and former perpetrators have found ways to coexist, forgive, and collaborate in rebuilding their country. This transformation reflects a deep national choice: to rise from pain, and to heal together.
At B-KELANA International, we believe that this spirit of unity is not only commendable but essential—and must be continuously nurtured through dialogue, empathy, and shared responsibility.
Renewing Our Commitment to a Peaceful Future
This commemoration is also a powerful reminder of the responsibility we hold for the future. As an organization rooted in integrity, human dignity, and social development, B-KELANA International is dedicated to contributing to Rwanda’s vision for sustained peace and prosperity.
We join the call for continued education on genocide prevention, the fight against genocide denial, and the promotion of justice and human rights. In honoring the past, we also recommit ourselves to a future of compassion, inclusion, and shared progress.
A Message to the Nation and the World
The story of Ntarama is a chapter of national sorrow, and also one of global relevance. It calls on every person; Rwandan and non-Rwandan, to reject hate, to stand against divisionism, and to work for a world where dignity prevails over violence. As we walk through the memorial grounds, we walk not only in remembrance, but in responsibility. The lives lost at Ntarama, and across Rwanda, deserve more than our tears; they deserve our unwavering commitment to peace.
Remember – Unite – Renew
We have a profound responsibility to educate future generations about our history, to honor the memory of the victims, and to stand firmly against all forms of hatred and division. Visiting this memorial strengthens our resolve to build a society grounded in unity, truth, and shared humanity. Today, B-KELANA International stands with Rwanda in remembrance, in hope, and in the spirit of our common humanity.
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