Through Peace Building and Genocide Prevention Training, Peace Education Initiative Rwanda changes communities and heal wounds caused by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The aim of this training first is to promote peace and reconciliation in Rwanda where hatred has been rampant in many years ago in different forms of threat, inequalities, violence, and destructions. The second aim was to employ storytelling and reveal various disciplines toward genocide prevention and their connection to reconciliation and building a tolerant society. This enables people to give up revenge, live in harmony, and strive for a better neighborhood lifestyle. The training took place in Rukara Sector from Kayonza District on 10th July 2020. It was held by Peace Education Initiative Rwanda, attended by 48 genocide survivor widows and 4 perpetrators who confessed their role in the genocide in this area.
On 10th July 2020, Peace Education Initiative Rwanda provided peacebuilding, storytelling, and genocide prevention training to its genocide survivor widow beneficiaries. Participants were equipped with knowledge and skills of building peace and breaking the cycle of hatred and any form of behavior that can result in genocide. Our invigorative work is needed more than ever; it has a big impact to heal wounds caused by genocide, promotes reconciliation, resilience for the future, and live in harmony. Like other parts of the world, Rwanda is in lockdown. So, the training participants abided to Covid-19 spread prevention measures which include but not limited to washing hands, social distancing, and wearing masks.
To heal wounds caused by genocide, perpetrators who confessed their role in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi attended the training, revealed how they were manipulated to betray their Tutsi neighbors only because of how they were born. Again, perpetrators promised their continual support to disclose where genocide victim bodies were put during genocide so that family members identify their loved ones and bury them with honor. Concealing information about the location of the remains of genocide victims is a criminal offense to go against.
Perpetrators also re-asked genocide survivor widows who were present in this training forgiveness for their role in the genocide. Again they pleaded what happened during genocide and guarantee a significant role in preventing genocide and always tell the truth about how genocide was conducted.