Rwandan youth have a responsibility to embrace social values and spread them in their respective communities and schools, Julienne Uwacu, the Minister for Sports and Culture, said.

The Minister was speaking on Saturday during the closing ceremony of civic training for youth at Petit Stade Remera in Kigali, which drew 150 youth from different parts of the City.

Dubbed ‘Intore mu Biruhuko’, the training targeted to occupy youth, especially students from both primary and secondary schools aged between 8 and 25 years during their holidays.

Uwacu said, "Take the lessons from the training to the community and schools. You reflect the image of the country at the international scene and you should keep Rwandan values at heart. You should always remember that even when you continue your studies out of the country because the image of the country you represent will be judged based on your behaviors and values,” she told the participants.

She cautioned them against drug abuse, robbery and other crimes which can ruin their future.

During the 29-day civic training which was held from November 27 last year, various speakers visited the youth to educate them on different topics such as fight against Genocide, and culture.

Participants were also trained in traditional dance.

Uwacu appealed to parents to be good role models and exemplary to their children by avoiding behaviors which morally affect their children.

"Some are families are always embroiled in domestic conflicts and other ills forgetting that they affect their children. They should play an exemplary role in promoting peace and culture among their children to shape generations to come,” she said.

Hudson Nkubito, a parent whose four children attended the training, hailed the government’s move to occupy children in holidays with civic education but observed that it should be extended to village levels so it reaches more youth.

"I was impressed that children were interested in the training than we expected instead of watching cartoons and movies at home. This helps model young Rwandans with values,” he said.

To Ghislain Kabanda, 16, a participant, the training offered them an opportunity to learn different culture-related things like traditional dance, national values and engage in open discussions on Rwanda’s past among others.

He said, "I came here to learn traditional dance, but I later realised that the training was more than that because I learnt a lot during the past days spent here.”

The civic training for youth who are in holidays is being conducted at different sites across the country with the national closing ceremony expected to be held in Nyamasheke District on January 17.