More than a hundred people affected by the Rwandan genocide marched from Parliament Hill to Ottawa City Hall Saturday to mark its 18th anniversary.
Nearly a million people were brutally murdered during attacks by the Hutus on the Tutsis between April and July 1994.
Survivors and family members of the fallen in Ottawa said they do the sombre march every year to honour their lost loved ones.
"We're kind of bringing them back to life," said Alice Musabende, whose entire family was slaughtered in the genocide.
"You kind of move on and try to figure out life, but then one day a year you want to go back and connect with people who share the same experience."
Organizers said the crowd at the march grows every year.
"We hope to bring more survivors in Canada around us to commemorate, to share those memories which we had," said Alain Ntwali of the Humura Association.
Those who weren't directly affected by the genocide said they came to show their support.
"Rwanda's a small country so obviously we know someone who knows someone," said Gael Murara. "We're here to support them, to show them they're not alone and 18 years after that we still think about them."
"I think it will help some psychologically, to know that people are behind them and to know that people genuinely don't want this to happen again," said Tito Migabo.
Musabende said they're helping in the healing process.
"It's good to know that you're not the only one, that there are other people and you share the same pain but also the same will to live again and to move on," she said.
Two speakers at the march also called for war criminals that are still at large to be brought to justice.
Events around the 18th anniversary are running for the next month.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Katie Griffin
