The Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda in the UK, hosted by the Rwanda High Commission, came together to celebrate the 22nd Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation (Kwibohora) on Saturday.
The Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda in the UK, hosted by the Rwanda High Commission, came together to celebrate the 22nd Anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation (Kwibohora) on Saturday.
The ceremony took place at Clayton Crown Hotel in North London.
Addressing the 400 guests in attendance, the High Commissioner of Rwanda to the UK, Yamina Karitanyi said that Kwibohora is not only a time of celebration, but also a time to reflect on ‘‘our nation’s journey so far, and what it will take to continue to fulfill its vision.’’ She called on all to take ownership and "actively get engaged in shaping the destiny of our nation”, adding that we owe Rwanda the best we can achieve individually and collectively.
The High Commissioner also thanked the members of the Rwandan Diaspora community, saying the Government is proud of the significant role they continue to play in their respective communities around the world.
The event included traditional Rwandan dance performances by ‘Abeza’ troupe from Nottingham, UK, poetry and music performances by Rwandan musicians JP Samputu and Kitoko as well as a moving song for Rwanda by Jennifer Kamikazi.
Guests watched a short video on the meaning and significance of Rwanda’s Liberation to put the evening into context, in which President Paul Kagame states that "Liberation sometimes begins with a military campaign, but it does not end with one”, and that this is the phase where Rwanda is today – the phase of the Liberation struggle that begins after the guns have finally fallen silent, and overcoming the challenges left by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
High Commissioner Karitanyi said Rwandans across the world have a lot to be proud of and to celebrate, such as the inclusiveness of the country’s government policies, the nation’s strides in gender parity, good leadership and politics, security for all Rwandans, access to education and healthcare and socio-economic transformation, all built on home-grown solutions and the shared identity of Ndi Umunyarwanda.
The High Commissioner also said that despite the country’s great achievements to date, Rwanda still has a long way to go and now is the time to get involved, as there is equal distribution of responsibility of rebuilding Rwanda amongst Rwandans all over the world.
The evening of celebration climaxed with guests joining in dancing to ‘Intsinzi’ (victory), waving their Rwandan flags and displaying unified pride and patriotism.
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