The Queen’s Baton Relay touched down in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on 10 November.
Blue skies and warm sun welcomed the Queen’s Baton, as it sailed through the air, held by Batonbearer, Munezero Valentine a volleyball athlete, standing through the car’s sunroof while leaving the airport.
The first stop on the Relay was the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site, the final resting place of more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, as an opportunity to remember the lives lost. The Memorial Site aims to provide support for survivors and families, as well as informing and educating visitors about what can be done to prevent similar atrocities in the future.
The next stop was the Nyandungu Urban Wetland Ecotourism Park, a new environmental project which will soon be open to the public. On arrival the Baton took on a journey around the stone paths, lined by greenery on each side. The new park is home to an incredible range of tree species and medicinal plants, in and around ornamental ponds. The project aims to increase and conserve local biodiversity; create and restore on-land and aquatic habitats; as well as inspire people to make a change and take on more environmental responsibility.
The first day ended at Lycée de Kigali, one of the oldest high schools in the city. The Relay was warmly welcomed by the students with a Igishakamba performance before others played 3x3 Basketball, a sport which will make its Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022.
Day two started at the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, which is based in the Rwanda Parliament. This site was chosen as the home for the museum given its significance as the base from which soldiers were commanded to rescue victims of the genocide in 1994. While at the museum, Batonbearers and attendees paid their respects to the lives lost and the affected families.
Following this visit, the Baton boarded a big, blue bus to Gahanga Cricket Stadium, the first ever international cricket ground in Rwanda and home to the national team. Here, members of the Commonwealth Games Delegation, professional cricket players, and others all came together to play quick fire cricket, celebrating the togetherness that the Queen’s Baton Relay represents. Among the players were professional cricketers and Guinness World Record holders, Cathia Uwamahoro and Eric Dusingizimana. In 2016 Dusingizimana took on the challenge of batting nonstop for 51 hours to break the record, all while raising funds for the construction of Gahanga Cricket Stadium.
The Baton, then toured Kigali and finished the day with a group walk to Kigali Arena, the largest indoor arena in East Africa.
