The only genocide memorial I've been to is the Holocaust Memorial in D.C., so traveling to Rwanda to see/feel the Kigali Genocide Memorial was a must for me. I wasn't sure how I was going to react and in the end I cried throughout the entire memorial. The various gardens (unity, division, lies, flower, etc) outside are beautiful, the grave-sites are rectangular, smooth slabs of concrete made on three levels and at the end of the grave-sites is a wall of names (similar to that in D.C.) of only identified individuals that were massacred during the 1994 genocide. It's unfathomable to read this history and see the images of those savagely slaughtered by Hutu rebels and know that help could have and should have arrived. Anyone wanting a piece of African history should come to Rwanda for this memorial. The movie Hotel Rwanda is based on the 1994 genocide which is a great film to watch to understand the events leading up to this horrible event. The end of the memorial was the worst part for me...THE CHILDREN'S ROOM. Dedicated to all the children that perished and survived the massacre. The only photos that families had left of their children, first-hand comments from those that survived and etched into frosted glass. The memorial is created in such a way that Kigali/Rwanda wants to show harmony and the circle of life shall continue and Rwandans are continuing the process of healing. An amazingly emotional visit for me and that will last in me forever. I am thankful for the opportunity to have visited Rwanda.
