Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day 2024, 2025 and 2026 in Rwanda

Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day every 7 April is a day dedicated to the memory of some 500,000 to 1 million Rwandans who were butchered mercilessly during the genocide of 1994. Due to the solemn nature of this memorial day, it is the only public holiday that is not replaced on a working day if 7 April falls on a weekend.

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2024	7 Apr	Sun	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2025	7 Apr	Mon	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2026	7 Apr	Tue	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

Mostly those of Tutsi ancestry, but also some Hutus who rejected the extremist positions being espoused at the time, were murdered in 1994 in Rwanda across the space of around three months. One church in the town of Nyamata, which is now a memorial, was the site of thousands of such killings. And that is but one among numerous examples.

To Rwanda, the 1994 genocide was a veritable “smaller scale Holocaust” that everyone would like to forget ever happened, but no one dares. To forget the lessons of history is to doom ourselves to repeat them. Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day is one tool to help people to never forget.

All who wish to remember the atrocities of 1994 observe the day – not only in Rwanda but around the world with the United Nations observance of this memorial day, which also falls on 7 April. In Rwanda, there are candle light memorial services, moments of silence for the victims, speeches, exhibits, conferences all dedicated to the remembrance of those who died.

Previous Years

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2023	7 Apr	Fri	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2022	7 Apr	Thu	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2021	7 Apr	Wed	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2020	7 Apr	Tue	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2019	7 Apr	Sun	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2018	7 Apr	Sat	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day
2017	7 Apr	Fri	Tutsi Genocide Memorial Day