GRAND RAPIDS , Michigan — Mayor David Legrand of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has officially completed and presented a proclamation recognizing April 7 as the Day of Remembrance for the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, reaffirming the city’s commitment to remembrance, human dignity, and genocide prevention.
The proclamation was presented during the Official U.S. National Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, one of the largest Kwibuka 32 commemorative gatherings held in the United States this year. The two-day national event, taking place May 23–24, 2026, has brought together survivors, Rwandan communities, faith leaders, youth, international officials, mental health experts, and friends of Rwanda from across the country in Kentwood, Michigan.
Hosted by Ibuka USA in partnership with the Michigan Rwandan Community Association (MRCA) and the U.S. Rwandan Community Abroad (USRCA), the commemoration honors the memory of more than one million innocent Tutsi men, women, and children killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Mayor David Legrand‘s proclamation recognizes the importance of preserving the truth about the genocide, honoring survivors, supporting healing, and educating future generations about the dangers of hate, division, and genocide ideology. The proclamation also highlights the global responsibility to promote peace, justice, unity, and the prevention of future atrocities.
Community leaders and organizers welcomed the proclamation as a powerful gesture of solidarity with survivors and a meaningful step toward strengthening awareness and remembrance efforts within American communities.
“This proclamation is an important reminder that remembrance matters,” one organizer said during the ceremony. “Recognizing April 7 honors the victims, supports survivors, and reinforces our collective responsibility to ensure that genocide never happens again anywhere in the world.”
The national commemoration weekend began with the Survivors’ Reunion – Mental Health & Resilience Session, where survivors and families participated in healing discussions led by mental health experts, researchers, and community leaders focused on trauma recovery, resilience, and intergenerational healing.
The evening Kwibuka 32 Night Vigil brought together hundreds of participants for survivor testimonies, candle lighting, prayers, poetry, music, and the reading of victims’ names in a solemn tribute to those who lost their lives during the genocide.
The main national commemoration ceremony on Sunday featured distinguished speakers including United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Dr. Chaloka Beyani, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United States Hon. Mathilde Mukantabana, Ibuka USA President Marcel Shyaka, and survivor-author Reverien Rurangwa.
Organizers emphasized that the commemoration serves not only as a remembrance event for Rwandans, but also as a universal call for humanity to reject hatred, genocide denial, discrimination, and violence.
As Kwibuka 32 commemorations continue around the world, the Kentwood gathering has become a symbol of remembrance, resilience, healing, and hope — united under the message of “Never Again.”
