The final resting place of the over 800,000 individuals who tragically lost their lives in the 1994 Rwanda genocide has been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list, marking a significant development as the United Nations cultural body lifts its moratorium on considering memorial sites associated with human suffering.
UNESCO officially confirmed the inclusion of the sites at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero in Rwanda, which serve as poignant commemorations of the mass killings, primarily of Tutsi victims, during the period of April to July 1994. The genocide also claimed the lives of moderate Hutus who were subjected to brutal violence, including shootings, beatings, and machete attacks, at the hands of Hutu rebels.
This recognition underscores the importance of preserving and acknowledging the historical and cultural significance of these sites, ensuring that the memory of the tragic events that unfolded during the genocide is perpetuated for future generations.
“This historic decision will help safeguard memory, counter denial, and strengthen genocide prevention efforts globally. #NeverAgain,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“This will make the genocide that was committed in Rwanda against the Tutsi more known across the world,” he told AFP news agency in Kigali.
The list of new additions also encompassed the World War I cemeteries situated in Belgium and France, in addition to a former torture facility in Argentina.
Up until now, the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Japan were the sole memorial sites to have earned a place on the prestigious World Heritage list maintained by the United Nations’ cultural agency.
During a gathering of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a consensus among UNESCO member states was reached to include the Rwanda genocide and World War I sites in the list, following the addition of the Argentina torture memorial on the previous day.
Back in 2018, during a UNESCO meeting, the agency refrained from adding memorial sites to the list, pondering whether the heritage list was an appropriate tool for recognizing sites associated with atrocities and conflicts.
However, early in 2023, member states came to an agreement that these sites hold significant potential in contributing to peacebuilding, which aligns with UNESCO’s primary mission. Consequently, the committee resolved to consider the nominations of these three sites.