The memorials include the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi, the Nyamata Memorial in Bugesera, the Murambi Memorial in Nyamagabe, and the Bisesero Memorial in the Western Province.
In 2022, before their designation as World Heritage Sites, these four memorials recorded over 101,000 visitorsâ€"54,845 of whom were foreigners and 46,600 Rwandans.
Following their inscription on the World Heritage List in 2024, total visitor numbers surged to more than 193,000. The number of foreign visitors more than doubled, exceeding 120,000, while Rwandan visitors increased to over 73,000.
Veneranda Ingabire, Executive Director of Memory and Genocide prevention at the Ministry of National Unity, told RBA that the 54.2% rise in foreign visitors reflects the memorials' growing international visibility.
She noted that the world has embraced the responsibility to promote these sites' significance and encourage more visits to deepen understanding.
Lydie Mutesi from Aegis Trust, the organization managing the Kigali Genocide Memorial, emphasized that their team has been strengthened with new knowledge and capacity to professionally accommodate the increasing number of visitors.
Enhanced training ensures that Rwanda's history is preserved and communicated effectively, allowing the memorials' message to resonate worldwide.
The four Genocide Memorials were officially inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on September 20, 2023, marking a major milestone in their preservation and global recognition.
IGIHE
