In a message issued for Kwibuka32, the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Guterres described the 1994 Genocide as “one of the darkest chapters in human history,” recalling how more than a million people were killed in just 100 days.

“Entire families were brutally erased,” he said.

The UN chief emphasised the importance of remembrance, while acknowledging the failure of the international community to act in time.

“We recall, with humility and shame, the international community’s failure to heed warnings and take immediate lifesaving action,” he said.

Marking Kwibuka32, Guterres urged countries not only to honour the victims but to take concrete steps to prevent future violence. He called for stronger efforts to reject hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and incitement to violence, warning that remembrance alone is not sufficient.

“It’s not enough to remember those who were brutally killed. We must learn from past failures and protect the living,” he said, highlighting the need to strengthen institutions, invest in social cohesion, and build resilient communities.

He also renewed his appeal for all countries to fully adopt and implement the Genocide Convention, describing it as a critical tool in preventing mass atrocities.

Commemorations are taking place on April 7 at UN headquarters and across the world, coordinated by the United Nations Outreach Programme on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which was established by the General Assembly in 2005 to promote education and remembrance as a means of preventing genocide.

The ceremony at the United Nations will take place at 10am Eastern Time and feature remarks from senior officials, including Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly; Courtenay Rattray, the Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet; and Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications.

Survivors’ voices will also be represented, including Marcel Mutsindashyaka, President of the Ibuka USA (Survivor Association), who continues to advocate for genocide survivors and promote remembrance and education internationally.

Rwanda will be officially represented by Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Minister of Justice and Attorney General and Karoli Martin Ngoga, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations.

Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with Rwanda and with communities worldwide working to prevent genocide. “The United Nations stands with the people of Rwanda,” he said. “And we stand with all those, everywhere, who refuse to surrender our future to fear, division, or silence.”

As Rwanda begins a week of national mourning, the Secretary-General urged the international community to turn remembrance into action. “Let this day reaffirm our commitment to remember, to listen, and to act,” he said.