The event took place on April 22, 2025, beginning with a historical briefing on the roots of the Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed over a million lives simply because of their identity.
Following the briefing, the GTBank Rwanda team laid wreaths at the mass graves where more than 250,000 victims are buried, paying tribute to those whose dignity and lives were brutally taken.
Alphonse Munyentwali, Country Director of Aegis Trust Rwanda, highlighted that remembering the Genocide is an ongoing journey. He emphasized that since the majority of today's Rwandans are youth, it's essential for them to understand this history thoroughly to ensure such atrocities never happen again.
He also explained that despite Rwanda's independence, colonial powers continued to influence its governance, which fostered the divisions that eventually led to genocide.
"We suffered greatly, but we are also fortunate because the Genocide against the Tutsi was not stopped by foreigners. Rwandan heroes stopped it. We stopped it ourselves, and we have the strength to prevent it from happening again. That is a great privilege, and it was largely done by the youth. Today, others look up to us," Munyentwali said.
Sandrine Isheja, an employee at GTBank Rwanda's Gisozi branch, shared her personal story, recounting how she was a child during the 1994 Genocide but still vividly remembers the difficult path she took to survive. Many of her relatives and fellow refugees now rest at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
She expressed deep gratitude to the Rwandan Patriotic Army for saving lives, including her own, and for restoring hope in life.
GTBank Rwanda's Managing Director, Emmanuel Ejizu, spoke about how ethnic divisions introduced by Western colonialists were for their own benefit. He emphasized that unity is now the most powerful tool in countering such divisions and continuing the country's journey of rebuilding.
'We must not be overwhelmed by sorrow. We need to hold onto hope and strive for a Rwanda that is united,' he said. 'This commitment to unity should not only be during commemoration periodsâ€"it must be constant, even for Rwandans in the diaspora. Do not tolerate division or those who spread hate or seek to turn people against each other.'
Ejizu concluded by noting that the Genocide against the Tutsi was a deliberately orchestrated campaign, built on years of cultivated hatred. Therefore, if today people come together with good intentions, the meaning behind the phrase 'Never Again' can be fully realized.
IGIHE
