CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026 delegation visits Kigali Genocide Memorial

Officials, referees, team delegates, and accompanying staff participating in the CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026 today visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The delegation included representatives from the Rwanda Volleyball Federation, the Confederation of African Volleyball, and the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball.

During the visit, participants toured different sections of the memorial and were guided through the history and planning of the Genocide against the Tutsi, in which more than one million lives were lost in just three months in 1994.

Located in Gisozi, the Kigali Genocide Memorial was established in 1999 and is the largest memorial site in Rwanda, with over 250,000 victims laid to rest.

The remains preserved at the site were recovered from across the City of Kigali and its surrounding areas.

The delegation also learned about Rwanda’s 32-year journey of rebuilding and reconciliation following the genocide, which was brought to an end by the RPF Inkotanyi.

As a sign of respect, visitors laid wreaths on the mass graves and observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims.

President of the Rwanda Volleyball Federation, Raphaël Ngarambe, emphasized the significance of the visit, noting that it reflects unity among African nations.

“Messages written in the visitors’ book show solidarity and a shared commitment that such atrocities must never happen again. This demonstrates the role of sport in promoting unity and humanity,” he said.

He further called on athletes and sports stakeholders to remain committed to preserving history and actively combating genocide ideology, especially among younger generations.

FIVB delegate Shilla Omuriwe Buyungo highlighted the importance of love and humanity in preventing such tragedies.

“We do not choose who we are or where we are born. What I take from this visit is that we must spread love and embrace one another. Sport should be a platform to promote dialogue and unity,” she stated.

The CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026 will continue on Wednesday with the Round of 16 matches, as well as classification games for teams ranked 17th to 24th.

This marks the 47th edition of Africa’s premier men’s club volleyball tournament.

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