UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday asked for the rejection of hate speech and xenophobia on the anniversary of the start of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
"We must never again let such an atrocity occur. We must say no to hate speech and xenophobia, and reject the forces of polarization, nationalism and protectionism," said Guterres in a message.
"Only by recognizing that we are all one human family sharing the same planet will we be able to rise to the many global challenges that confront us, from COVID-19 to climate change."
He asked the world to draw inspiration from the capacity of the survivors for reconciliation and restoration.
Since the genocide, Rwanda has demonstrated that it is possible to rise from the ashes, to heal and to rebuild a stronger, more sustainable society, he said. "As we look ahead to accelerating efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, let us take inspiration from the ongoing lesson of Rwanda."
The Rwandan genocide occurred between April 7 and July 15, 1994, when more than 1 million people were systematically murdered. The victims were overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also included Hutu and others who opposed the genocide.
