Organized by Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP) Canada, the eventâ€"whose name "Ku Gicaniro" means 'at the bonfire' in Kinyarwandaâ€"served as a symbolic gathering space for community reflection and healing. It brought together youth, survivors, and allies in an artistic tribute to the more than one million lives lost during one of the 20th century's darkest chapters.
The evening began with a moment of silence, a reading of victims' names, and a candle-lighting ceremony that transformed grief into collective reverence. The moments honoured not just those who died, but who they were: students, sisters, fathers, dreamers.
A curated exhibition welcomed guests before the formal program, offering a powerful walk through visual and written testimonies. The intention, organizers said, was not to consume history, but to carry itâ€"to resist forgetting through art and storytelling.
Art was at the heart of the program. Musical performances and a stage play provided emotional expression where words alone might fall short. The performance reminded the audience that 'art remembers what history tries to forget.'
One of the most moving moments came when genocide survivor Mukarukundo Godelieve, known as Maman Casta, publicly shared her story for the first time in a heartfelt conversation with her daughter, Casta. The dialogue between mother and daughter became a powerful handoff of memory: an intimate, courageous act of intergenerational truth-telling.
A documentary screening followed, exploring how to teach the history of genocide to children. It posed a challenging but necessary question: How do you explain a wound this deep to a child? The film emphasized the importance of teaching with honesty, compassion, and clarity, especially as survivor voices grow fewer with time.
In his address, Pascal Kanyemera, President of the Humura Survivors Association, praised the youth-led effort, highlighting the role of digital platforms in combating genocide denial. He also spoke about Humura's ongoing memorial initiatives to preserve truth and history.
The Rwandan Ambassador to Canada, Prosper Higiro, offered a powerful reminder that genocide is not an accident but a deliberate political crime. He spoke candidly about the ideology that preceded the 1994 atrocities and urged the youth to stand firm in defending unity, dignity, and truth.
The evening closed with remarks from Danny, Representative of PLP Canada, who reaffirmed the organization's commitment to remembrance and youth engagement. He stated that the aim of PLP Canada is to create safe, intentional, and powerful spaces, where young people can remember, reflect, and reconnect with their identity and history.
The evening left attendees moved, inspired, and reminded that while the genocide against the Tutsi ended 31 years ago, the responsibility to remember â€" and to resist forgetting â€" lives on through the voices and visions of Rwanda's youth.
IGIHE
