PURPOSE: The United Nations General Assembly declared 7 April as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.The Assembly members calls upon States to recommit to preventing and fighting against genocide and other serious crimes under international law, and underscores the importance of taking into account lessons learned from the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, during which Hutu and others who opposed it were also killed.

FORUM: "Honoring the survivors of the Rwanda Genocide." 2026 International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. In 1994, within just over 100 days, close to one million members of the Tutsi minority were systematically murdered during the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Moderate Hutus and others who opposed the massacres were also killed during this period. It’s time to promote education about genocides as a means to sensitize learners for the causes, dynamics and consequences of such crimes and to strengthen their resilience against all forms of discrimination. Its been 30 years following bloodshed in Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda during 1994. As Rwandans with an ambition towards a good future, lets not value any fact that can lead us back to such devilish darkness. Compiling the testimonies has been a group effort. Join the conversation with the hashtags #Kwibuka31, #rwandagenocide, #RememberUniteRenew, #7april, #minuteofsilence, #7april, #PreventGenocide.

EVENTS: On April 7th 2026; At the United Nations HQ in New york to mark the 32nd commemorative ceremony of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, The United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations member states will organize a ceremony in memory of the victims is organized by the Department of Global Communications in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Rwanda. The opening remarks by the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly and by a survivor testimony. The speakers will be the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN, the Chargé D'affaires, Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations; The commemorative event will be moderated by the Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications and the Musical performance by the United Nations Staff Recreation Council Symphony Orchestra. Get the Programme and watch the livestream.

On April 7th; Starting at 16:00 PM EST; The Memorial Ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, organized by the Department of Global Communications and the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations.Watch the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda - Annual Commemoration!

On April 7th, Starting at 09:00 AM GMT; The Director-General of UNON in collaboration with the Rwanda High Commission will be leading to mark the 32nd Anniversary of International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Watch the 32nd Anniversary of The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda!
On April 9th at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV); Starting at 14:45 PM GMT, The Commemorative ceremony to mark the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Watch the UNOV Celebration of the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda!

STATEMENTS: “The United Nations stands with the people of Rwanda. And we stand with all those, everywhere, who refuse to surrender our future to fear, division, or silence. Let this day reaffirm our commitment to remember, to listen, and to act. With history as our guide, and the prevention of genocide as our goal.” Statement of the U.N. Secretary General on the 2026 Commemoration of the International day of reflexion the 1994 Genocide against the Tsutis in Rwanda.

PUBLICATIONS: The Rwandan Genocide: Why Early Warning Failed. Early warnings of the Rwandan genocide were ignored because policy makers perceived it as a "civil war," denied the facts, and decided not to intervene, preventing U.S. and U.N. lawyers from calling the killing "genocide." Early reinforcement of UNAMIR could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, but "group-think" precluded consideration of direct military intervention by the U.S. and allied forces, though they were near Rwanda and rescued their own nationals. Unwilling to financially and militarily support a reinforced UNAMIR, the U.S., U.K. and U.N., the Security Council ordered UNAMIR to leave Rwanda; because they did not consider Rwandan lives worth saving at the risk of their own troops.

We study the economic impact of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, which has been one of the most intense events of political violence since World War II. Read the full report of The Economic Effects of Genocide: Evidence from Rwanda.