Paul Kagame has met with Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Israel.
The meeting took place on April 8, 2026, according to Village Urugwiro, the Office of the President of Rwanda.
In a statement shared on social media, Village Urugwiro said the discussions focused on the importance of remembrance in rebuilding and reconciling societies after genocide, as well as its role in combating genocide denial.
Dayan is currently in Rwanda where he attended the 32nd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, held at the global level on April 7, 2026.
He also took part in an International Conference on Genocide Prevention held at Intare Conference Arena in Rusororo, Gasabo District, on April 8, 2026.
The conference brought together global leaders, and Dayan delivered a speech emphasizing that genocide leaves deep and lasting scars, but also creates a responsibility to remember in order to preserve history.
“Remembrance must go hand in hand with the responsibility to defend life, protect humanity, fight hatred, and act before it is too late. Prevention requires constant vigilance, education, and the courage of nations and leaders to act before hatred turns into violence,” he said.
He also stressed the need to ensure that no people are ever abandoned in times of danger.
At the same event, Jean Damascène Bizimana, Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, highlighted the unique aspects of the Genocide against the Tutsi, noting that the first woman ever convicted of genocide was Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, a former Minister of Family and Women’s Affairs.
He expressed concern that no African country has yet prosecuted suspects of the Genocide against the Tutsi residing on its territory, despite numerous international arrest warrants issued by Rwanda.
“Even after 32 years, not a single African country has tried a genocide suspect on its soil, despite many arrest warrants sent by Rwanda,” he said.
Earlier, on April 3, 2026, Dayan visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, where he paid tribute to more than 250,000 victims buried there. During the visit, he urged Rwanda to preserve more testimonies from survivors, noting their importance in countering genocide denial in the future.
He explained that while memorials are important, preserving testimonies is essential, especially as survivors age and fewer eyewitnesses remain.
“Those who witnessed the Holocaust are now very old, and many have passed away. There are fewer people left to tell these stories directly to younger generations,” he said.
Dayan added that preserving survivor testimonies is a crucial responsibility, and expressed willingness to continue cooperation between Yad Vashem and the Kigali Genocide Memorial in education and remembrance efforts.
Yad Vashem, located in Jerusalem, commemorates more than six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Of these, about 4.8 million have been identified by name. The victims were killed between 1941 and 1945 under the Nazi regime led by Adolf Hitler.
