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Kinyarwanda
Kagame, Macron To Unveil First Permanent Genocide Memorial in Paris
Presidents Paul Kagame and Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, June 2, will unveil France's first permanent memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The monument, named “L’Archive,” is located on the Esplanade Habib Bourguiba along the banks of the Seine River in the Quai d’Orsay district of Paris.
Designed by Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba, the structure features two large black brass steles mounted on contrasting white and black lava stones.
The memorial symbolizes an archive of voices, memories, experiences, and hopes of both the victims and survivors of the genocide, which claimed more than one million lives in 100 days.
To ensure global accessibility, the monument bears inscriptions in four languages: French, English, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili. A QR code will also be integrated to provide visitors with additional historical information about the genocide and the significance of the site.
The initiative began in 2019 when Ibuka France, a genocide survivor advocacy group, formally requested the creation of a public memorial from President Macron.
The site is designated as a permanent public space for remembrance and reflection. To guarantee its long-term preservation, the memorial has been entered into the French National Heritage Register, granting it official state protection for future generations.
