The Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument was inaugurated in 2004 as a result of collaboration between authorities of Rwanda and the Aegis Trust for Genocide Prevention, which originated from and is born of the National Holocaust Centre in the UK.
It is situated in Kigali, being the largest in Rwanda, which also gives it its other name; the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
A genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying them.
The Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument is a significant place in the history of Rwanda and the lives of the people of Rwanda and the world at large, being a final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide that was by the Hutu against the Tutsi.
It serves to be an educational base as well as a great reason as to why all the peoples of Rwanda and the world at large have to embrace peace and reconciliation at the expense of all human attributes as well as fight the ideology of genocide of the 20th century.
The Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument has a great wall of names that is dedicated to those who were slain and died during the genocide.
However, it still remains a project in progress as a number of names have yet to be gathered and documented despite the challenges apparently as most victims of the genocide who rest in the graves remain unknown.
The memorial gardens provide a sacred place for quiet contemplation and meditation about the genocide and also help in the reflection on how all human races have a responsibility and a great role to play in the prevention and overcoming of discrimination and mass atrocity in the world.
The Gisozi Genocide Memorial has a centre that provides support for the survivors of the genocide, to be more specific, the orphans and widows.
It should never be forgotten that while the largest memorial lies in Kigali, different parts of Rwanda experienced the genocide and therefore there are a number of emotionally charged memorials dotted all over the country, some being as simple as a quiet garden for contemplation while others being larger and hold relics, remains, and exhibits on the genocide itself.
It is important to recognize a few memorials beyond the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument such as; Camp Kigali Belgian Monument, Nyanza Genocide Memorial, Ntarama Genocide Memorial, Nyamata Genocide Memorial, Murambi Genocide Memorial.
Opening and closing time of the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument: It opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm with its last entrance at 4 pm.
Special time: It opens from 1 pm to 5 pm on Umuganda Saturdays; which is the last Saturday of every month.
Cost: It is entirely free to enter. Audio guides are provided at an extra cost.
Conclusively, the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Monument stands as a great symbol to the shared emotions, love, and memories by a great human race that believes in peace, equality, and dignity of all humans around the world.
