PM Modi visits Rwanda's Genocide Memorial Centre

Prime Minister Modi, who is on a two-day state visit to Rwanda, arrived here yesterday on the first leg of his three-nation Africa tour, becoming the first Indian premier to visit the East African country.

He was given a red carpet welcome as President of Rwanda Paul Kagame received him at the airport.

"Beginning the day on a poignant note! PM @narendramodi visits the Genocide Memorial Centre in #Kigali. The Memorial honours the victims of the worst excesses of violence. It is also symbolic of the admirable and exemplary process of reconciliation Rwanda has embarked upon," Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

The memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi -- the principal ethnic community in Rwanda.

It includes three permanent exhibitions, the largest of which documents the 1994 genocide.

There is also a children's memorial and an exhibition on the history of genocidal violence around the world. The education centre, gardens, and Genocide Archive of Rwanda contribute to a meaningful tribute to those who perished, and provide a powerful educational experience for visitors, according to the memorial's website.