On Tuesday, June 2, President Paul Kagame and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron unveiled the first permanent memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in France.
The monument, named “L’Archive,” has been placed on the Esplanade Habib Bourguiba along the banks of the Seine in the Quai d’Orsay area of Paris.
This structure features two large black brass steles set upon white and black lava stones.
It represents an archive of voices, memories, experiences, and aspirations linked to the victims and survivors of the Genocide that resulted in the loss of over one million lives within a span of 100 days.
The memorial includes inscriptions in French, English, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili. Additionally, a QR code will be incorporated to offer visitors further insights into the Genocide and the importance of the location.
The initiative originated in 2019 when Ibuka France officially requested the creation of a memorial from President Macron. The design of the monument was conceived by Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba.
The site aims to function as a lasting public space for remembrance and contemplation for the more than one million individuals who perished during the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
