DAR ES SALAAM, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) on Monday marked the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in solidarity with the government and people of Rwanda.

The regional bloc said in a statement that this annual commemoration served as a solemn reminder of the atrocities committed in Rwanda from April 7 to July 19, 1994, and reinforced the collective responsibility of the international community to combat genocide and its ideologies.

More than one million people -- overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also Hutu and others who opposed the genocide -- were systematically killed in less than three months.

The commemoration event brought together leaders and staff of the EAC organs and institutions, the Arusha region authorities, regional and international organizations based in Arusha, the headquarters of the EAC, students, and representatives from religious denominations.

The EAC hosted several activities, including a Walk to Remember, Lighting the Flame of Hope, and laying of a wreath of flowers at the monument for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the EAC headquarters, according to the statement.

In 2014, the United Nations and the African Union designated April 7 as a day of remembrance for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The EAC stood united with Rwanda and the international community to honor the victims and promote a culture of tolerance and peaceful co-existence across the East African region, said the statement. Enditem

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