Rwanda National Heroes' Day
Rwanda National Heroes' Day
February 1
The Republic of Rwanda is a landlocked country in central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and theDemocratic Republic of Congo. Rwandans celebrate Heroes' Day on February 1. National celebrations take place startingearly in the morning with the laying of wreaths at the Heroes' Cemetery at Remera, Kigali, by the president, officials of thegovernment, and the families of the country's heroes.
National Heroes' Day commemorates events that occurred after April 6, 1994, when Rwandan President JuvenalHabyarimana and the president of Burundi were killed when their airplane was shot down. After that, the Rwandan militarybegan to systematically kill all Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Local officials and government-sponsored radio stations calledon ordinary citizens to kill their Tutsi neighbors. Hundreds of thousands of Tutsi and moderate Hutus were killed. This is nowknown as the Rwandan genocide. Victims of this genocide are remembered on Heroes' Day.
During the Rwandan genocide, rebels surrounded the Nyange Secondary School and asked the students to identify the Tutsistudents. When a group of students refused to do this, the rebels killed them. This heroic act is also remembered onNational Heroes' Day. Wreaths are laid at Nyange in memory of students who stood against the rebel forces. The nationalHeroes' Day celebration at Nyange features songs, dances, and poems praising the virtues and good example of thenational heroes. The people are reminded of the great value in service to the country that the national heroes have shownthose who are still alive.
National Heroes' Day commemorates events that occurred after April 6, 1994, when Rwandan President JuvenalHabyarimana and the president of Burundi were killed when their airplane was shot down. After that, the Rwandan militarybegan to systematically kill all Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Local officials and government-sponsored radio stations calledon ordinary citizens to kill their Tutsi neighbors. Hundreds of thousands of Tutsi and moderate Hutus were killed. This is nowknown as the Rwandan genocide. Victims of this genocide are remembered on Heroes' Day.
During the Rwandan genocide, rebels surrounded the Nyange Secondary School and asked the students to identify the Tutsistudents. When a group of students refused to do this, the rebels killed them. This heroic act is also remembered onNational Heroes' Day. Wreaths are laid at Nyange in memory of students who stood against the rebel forces. The nationalHeroes' Day celebration at Nyange features songs, dances, and poems praising the virtues and good example of thenational heroes. The people are reminded of the great value in service to the country that the national heroes have shownthose who are still alive.
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