UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President Paul Kagame of
Rwanda and world figures will participate in the official commemoration of the Rwanda
genocide today, during which at least 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and politically
moderate Hutus were killed in 1994 in three months of bloodletting that
followed the death of the then-president Juvenal Habyarimana.

"We will always remember the more than 800,000 innocent
people so brutally murdered as we pay tribute to the bravery and resilience of
the survivors”, said Mr Ban in a statement.  “We draw inspiration from the ability of the
Rwandan people to unite and show that reconciliation is possible even after a
monumental tragedy …Together, let us commit to remember, unite and renew for
the people of Rwanda and for our actions to prevent genocide around the world.”

 

For the last 10 years, Soroptimists from Rwanda and Europe
have come together to promote peace, unity and understanding via sport, through
the Kigali Peace Marathon. The Marathon was initiated in 2005 by Luxemburgian
Soroptimist Bettina Scholl Sabatini, enthusiastic runners from Luxembourg and
Rwandan Soroptimists, with the support of the Rwandan Ministry of Sport and
Youth

Since then this International Marathon for Peace has taken
place every year with financial help of Soroptimist International of Europe. Soroptimists in Rwanda organise a children’s run a day before the Marathon.

Each year the number of participants has increased with 500 children and 1100
athletes running in 2013.

On 18th May 2014 the 10th International Marathon with
Soroptimist support will take place in Kigali for the last time. Thereafter,
the Ministry of Sport and Youth will assume responsibility.

 

Read Leena
Viitaniemi’s blog about the 2013 Marathon or find out more
about the 2014 Marathon on the Soroptimist International of Europe website.

There are currently 8 Soroptimist International clubs active
in Rwanda, with over 100 members and projects to provide education and vocational
training to children and teenagers, training on legal rights and support for
orphans.  Read
more about Soroptimist projects in Rwanda (SIE website).

Women’s rights in Rwanda – where between 250,000 and 500,000
women were raped during the genocide – have progressed hugely in the last 20
years. The Rwandan parliament has the highest proportion of women
members of any in the world – 64% of parliamentarians are women, and gender
rights are enshrined in the constitution. As many girls as boys receive primary
and secondary education and significant efforts have been undertaken to tackle
violence against women and girls. 

Guardian (UK): Rwanda’s
women make strides towards equality 20 years after the genocide

UN: UN
marks launch of ‘Kwibuka20’ to ‘remember, unite, renew’ after Rwanda genocide