This year’s International Day of Peace, to be celebrated on September 21, will bring together youth from across the country to discuss how to maintain peace through critical thinking. The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) explained that they chose the youth to lead the celebrations so as to immunise them from violence. “We focused on the youth because in our country they were misled to carry out the Genocide” said Fidele Ndayisaba, the Executive Secretary of NURC. He noted that critical thinking was wanting among people who gave in to genocide ideology that destroyed peace. “Today, when you ask a Genocide perpetrator how it came about, they tell you they were misled. This means they lacked critical thinking” he says. Ndayisaba added that the post-Genocide generation is the foundation upon which to build sustainable peace in the country, the more reason the youth are engaged in unity and reconciliation activities. “We call this generation a special generation. Most of them know about the Genocide and violence but never participated in them; they’re the bridge for the country’s transition from evil to good,” he said. Apart from discussions at the grassroots level, over 400 youth representatives will convene in Kigali to discuss peace building and resisting extremist ideas. Ndayisaba said the celebrations come as Rwanda prepares for the Unity and Reconciliation Month, which take place every October 1. The International Peace Day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
