The Embassy of Rwanda in The Netherlands on Friday celebrated Kwibohora25 in The Hague.

Friday evening’s was mainly the celebration with the diplomatic community and government officials but on Saturday, Liberation Day was again celebrated with the Rwandan Diaspora in the Netherlands.

The 25th anniversary of Rwanda’s liberation was celebrated under the theme "Together we prosper.”

On Friday, the Embassy of the Republic Rwanda in the Netherlands hosted the Kwibohora25 celebration with a reception and dinner at the Marriott Hotel in The Hague, in order to pay tribute to Rwandan men and women who in different ways contributed to Rwanda’s liberation.

Amb Jean-Pierre Karabaranga, his spouse and the Embassy team welcomed more than 200 guests including the diplomatic community, representatives of the Dutch government, representatives of international organizations, Rwandans living in the Netherlands, Friends of Rwanda and many others.

The audience enjoyed a variety of Rwandan traditional dance performances by the Rwandan cultural troupe. The Friday festivity was concluded with a dinner.

The Embassy initiated the jubilation to celebrate 25 years freedom, peace, security and unity that have been the backbone of Rwanda’s political and social economic transformation.

Rwanda has made tremendous strides in all aspects and has been repeatedly ranked the safest, peaceful, cleanest and one of the most economically progressive country not just in Africa but also in the world.

Liberation Day: hope for a better future

Karabaranga said that on Liberation Day every genocide survivor remembers that it is the day he or she regained hope, hope of a new safe life and hope for a better future.

Karabaranga said: "Our liberation was not given to us as a gift by anybody. Our liberation was the result of the enormous and heavy sacrifices of many Rwandans, ordinary men and women, who gave everything they had, including paying the ultimate price - their lives for many - during the liberation struggle.”

"On this occasion we take time to pay homage to them. We owe them our freedom. On such day we pause and tell them that their sacrifices were not in vain, their blood was not shed in vain. As H.E. President of Rwanda said and I quote: ‘Rwanda has changed for good and forever!’”

The envoy also said that Liberation Day "reminds us that Rwanda’s liberation is a process,” a long journey.

Rwanda first went through an armed struggle, followed then by a successful resilient journey to stabilize and to rebuild the country and to build the unity of Rwanda’s people.

Today, he noted, Rwanda is consolidating and building on these achievements.

In such journey, he said, Rwanda counts on its citizens of course, but also on its friends and partners, "like you who are with us today and even those who are not here with us.”

"Excellent working relationships and partnership existing between Rwanda and its friends, since the very hard times back in 1994, allowed Rwanda to become what is today: a country which is stable and progressing!”

"I therefore take this opportunity to thank the Kingdom of the Netherlands for being among the very first partners of Rwanda in 1994 and for its dedicated and exceptional cooperation with Rwanda in various ways for the last 25 years. On this day we commit to strengthen our friendship and excellent cooperation in many fields.”

editor@newtimesrwanda.com