Kigali, Rwanda: In 1994, Rwandan Hutus murdered almost one million people belonging to the Tutsi ethnic group, in what was one of the largest scale acts of genocide in modern times. On the tenth anniversary of the genocide, the Kigali government opened the national memorial to the victims, in the capital city. The memorial was designed and constructed by a British company, Aegis Trust. Many have complained that the building itself, with its stucco style and large fountains, strikes an inappropriate tone considering it stands above the mass grave of hundreds of thousands of people. The museum features high tech media presentations showing graphic videos of the killings, includes photos of the victims and gives visitors a detailed overview of Rwandan history. Also included are a memorial wall and reflecting gardens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this site remembering the Rwandan genocide. I really like being able to see photos of sites and the landscape. I hope you can keep up the work you have been doing!
I really enjoyed looking through the website and especially looking through the Rwandan genocide memorials! This website provides a unique experience and I’m glad I was exposed to it.
I found it interesting that some people were upset by the nature of a memorial. On one hand, it is reasonable to create a memorial that is impactful, memorable, and whose beauty could try to overcome the atrocities which it commemorates. However, it is also understandable that the memorial should not overshadow the memory of the people it honors.