History was made on April 19^th 2023 as the first '1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda' memorial site was unveiled in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Located in the northern part of the Beatrix Park in Amsterdam, the memorial site is a place for survivors and the larger Rwandan community in the Netherlands to remember their loved ones and to pay tribute to more than one million victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. It will also be a place that will give an opportunity to the Dutch population, especially young generations, to reflect on the genocide and learn lessons from this tragedy, which will help prevent future genocides.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands remained the only major country in Western Europe without any memorial for the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. This is why the Embassy of Rwanda and Ibuka-Netherlands believed that a city like Amsterdam, with its history and as a city that received a number of genocide survivors from Rwanda, is an important location for a memorial site in honor of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The official inauguration of the memorial was carried out by H.E. Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Mrs. Christine Safari, Chairperson of IBUKA-Netherlands.

The installment of this Memorial site is the fruit of close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Municipality of Amsterdam, and constitutes one the most important tools to help preserve the memory of the victims and educate present and future generations about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

It is crucial for genocide survivors living in the Netherlands to have a symbolic place to come together, to commemorate and to reflect on the life and rebirth of the nation after its dark history.

About the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda:

April 7^th is the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly on April 20^th, 2020. The date marks the beginning of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi, which lasted a 100 days, and during which a million children, women and men were systematically killed.

About the Beatrixpark in Amsterdam:

The Beatrixpark is a small, quiet park in the southern part of Amsterdam, close to the RAI congress centre. It is named after former Queen Beatrix and was built in 1938 as a romantic, English style park with a small lake and open landscape.

Programme of the Inauguration of the Memorial:
Welcoming remarks by the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Emmanuel Safari

Cutting the ribbon by: 
    1. H.E. Olivier J.P Nduhungirehe; Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Netherlands
    2. Mr. Reinier van Dantzig; Deputy Mayor, city of Amsterdam
    3. Mrs. Christine Safari, Chairperson of IBUKA-Netherlands;
    4. Mr. Marcel de Vink, Director-General for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Laying of wreaths by: 
    1. H.E. Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda 
    2. Mr. Reinier van Dantzig, Deputy Mayor,  City of Amsterdam
    3. Mrs. Christine Safari, Chairperson of IBUKA-NL
    4. Mr. Marcel de Vink, Director General for Political Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    5. Jugde Gatti Santana, President IRMCT
    6. H.E. Adia Sakiqi, Ambassador of Albania and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps; and 
    7. Mr. Claude Ndabarasa, Chairperson of the Rwanda Community in the Netherlands. 

Minute of silence to honour the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

End of the Inaugural Ceremony at Beatrix Park

Programme of the commemoration at the Vrijburg church:
Welcoming remarks by the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Emmanuel Safari
Candle lighting by all speakers
Opening remarks by Mrs. Christine Safari, Chairperson of IBUKA-Netherlands
Remarks by Mr. Reinier van Dantzig, Deputy Mayor of the city of Amsterdam
Remarks by Mr. Marcel de Vink, Director General for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Artistic performance by Ms. Lisette Neza Ntukabumwe
Keynote address by H.E Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Netherlands
End of the Ceremony

To watch the photos click on Inauguration Memorial Beatrix Park or Commemoration Vrijburg Church

Videos can be watched on our YouTube-channel.