Transforming genocide memorial sites to places of dialogue and learning for peace in Rwanda

As more young Rwandans learn about the genocide through education rather than personal memory, preserving and transmitting this history becomes increasingly important. How can places of memory foster learning, community dialogue and a commitment to preventing future atrocities?

This question was at the heart of a UNESCO roundtable held on 14 April 2026, in partnership with the Permanent Delegation of Rwanda to UNESCO as part of the commemorations of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Education and community engagement can bridge generational divides and create opportunities for dialogue, in both formal and informal spaces of learning. As places grounded in historical evidence and remembrance, memorial sites provide environments where learners can ask questions, better recognize misinformation and historical distortion and better understand what made the genocide possible and its legacy today.