A powerful celebration of remembrance and resilience, highlighting a journey of unity, progress, and global friendship

The Embassy of Rwanda in Jakarta hosted a commemoration of the 31st Liberation Day on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Jakarta. The event, held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. local time, brought together more than 250 guests, including members of the diplomatic corps, the Rwandan community in Indonesia, and friends of Rwanda from diverse backgrounds.

This annual commemoration, known as Kwibohora, meaning "to liberate" in Kinyarwanda, marks the end of the Genocide against the Tutsi on July 4, 1994. On that day, the Rwanda Patriotic Army successfully ended one of the darkest chapters in modern history, a genocide that claimed over one million lives in just 100 days.

In his address, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Sheikh Abdul Karim Harelimana, spoke about the profound meaning of Kwibohora. Under the theme "Kwibohora31: Rwanda’s Journey Continues," he emphasized that the 1994 victory was more than a military success—it represented a triumph of hope over despair, unity over division, and dignity over brutality.

Ambassador Harelimana highlighted Rwanda’s extraordinary progress over the past three decades, especially in governance, education, healthcare, infrastructure, gender equality, and national reconciliation. Today, 63.75 percent of Rwanda’s parliamentarians are women, reflecting a strong national commitment to equality.

He also acknowledged Rwanda’s growing role on the international stage, particularly in peacekeeping and regional cooperation. The ambassador expressed gratitude for the strengthening bilateral ties between Rwanda and Indonesia, which have flourished since the official opening of the Rwandan Embassy in Jakarta in June 2024. This milestone coincided with the official visit of President Paul Kagame to Indonesia during the Indonesia-Africa Forum in Bali.

Ambassador Harelimana also spoke about Rwanda’s Vision 2050, which aims to transform the country into a high-income, knowledge-driven, and inclusive nation. He emphasized that development is not just about economic growth, but also about ensuring that every citizen lives with dignity and that such a tragedy never happens again.

Representing the Indonesian government, Ambassador Dindin Wahyudin, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy, attended as the guest of honor. In his speech, he praised Rwanda’s achievements and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, education, innovation, and people-to-people exchange.

With the spirit of liberation still alive, Rwanda continues to move forward—hand in hand with its global partners, including Indonesia—toward a more just and hopeful future.