Regina church marks 30th anniversary of Rwanda genocide

On Sunday, April 7, members of Regina’s Rwandan community marked a grim anniversary.

The date is now an international day of remembrance for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when nearly one million lives were lost over the course of 100 days due to ethnic and political conflict.

“We are more focusing on the reason why that happened, which is just the heat between two tribes,” said Yves Ikobe, a member of Regina’s Rwandan community who helped organize the commemorative gathering at Wellsprings Victory Church.

“So we just wanna avoid that from happening, from anywhere in the world that can happen. So we spread awareness everywhere just to know that heat can build to some thing that’s tragic like that."

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Now, 30 years after the mass atrocity, the community came together to remember. Some of those in attendance were very familiar with the violent history, while others took the opportunity to learn about it for the first time.

Parishioner Josh Olson said that he learned a lot throughout the day.

“Well, honestly, I don’t know much about the genocide and I feel like everybody should be educated on things that have happened in the past, even if it’s not our country. It’s good to know,” he said.

“If you ever meet someone from there, that they have history there, and they could have generational trauma and you could learn more about them if you know about their history and connect with them in that way,” said Olson.

Regina was one of many cities that recognized the date. Memorials were held across the country, proving the effects of the massacre are still being felt, even from over 11,000 kilometres away.