First Lady Jeannette Kagame on Saturday, June 8, told Rwanda’s young people that they have no option of failure, or discouragement, in carrying on the baton of developing the country. She was speaking in Kigali at Igihango cy’Urungano, an annual forum that brings together young people and officials to commemorate the youth killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. ALSO READ: First Lady tasks youth to actively counter Rwanda’s history distortion The forum provides an opportunity for young people to reflect on their role in protecting and preserving the progress made in Rwanda since the 1994 Genocide and to promote the concept of Ndi Umunyarwanda, a shared national identity. The forum also gives the youth a platform to discuss the challenges they face and their personal journeys towards embracing a common identity. ALSO READ: ‘Igihango cy’Urungano’: Stories of the post-Genocide generation Over the past 30 years, Mrs. Kagame said, the country tried the best possible ways to raise young people in a secure nation while finding common ground for them to live alongside those who experienced the country's bitter history. The forum was created to have a platform where the youth discuss different forms of trauma originating from the Genocide because it is often hard for parents to talk about the horrors faced, she said. “This country regards the youth as strengths to build faster, yet building people with wounds was difficult. It was, therefore, necessary to have a forum to open up and heal so as to build the country while being free.” After the Genocide, she noted, everything was a priority but at the forefront was sacrifice, restoring unity, and finding the strength to rebuild Rwanda. “As it is often said, each generation has its own mission. As the elders, we thank you for being proactive. Your oath pertains to knowing your country and its history, commemorating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, living in peace despite the wounds it caused, and rebuild the country.” ALSO READ: A touching poem at the Youth Conversation- Igihango cy'Urungano The First Lady pointed out that if the young generation fails to build on what has been achieved, the elders would question if they didn’t try their best or if it's young people who did not understand and find ways to carry on the baton. “We don’t want to dictate your paths. The current challenges are multifaceted and it’s up to you to figure out a mechanism to fight your battle. We will not stop advising you but the history of the next 30 years and more will be written by you.” She noted that it is a battle that requires one to be firm and stand against any challenge that may rise against what has been achieved whether in speech, writing, or any attempt. “After the Genocide, it would have been possible to stay divided, characterized by discrimination, but we chose to be Rwandans, we chose unity. Not that it was easy, but that it is the only legacy that we should continue to pass on, generation after generation.” Education and such dialogues should be enforced to fight against the ideology, revisionism, and denial of Genocide, she added. Mrs. Kagame noted: “You are no longer children to be guided in everything, but no one outgrows counsel. So, share your thoughts with us, discern who you let get close to you and be wise in choosing friendships because they are your present and future family.” “Failure or discouragement is not your choice! Rwanda should always be in your heart, mind, and hands.” Sharing facts about the history of Rwanda in pre-colonial, colonial times and the build-up to the 1994 Genocide, Jean Damascene Bizimana, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, named and quoted books by foreign writers that show how Rwandans regarded themselves as the most powerful people in the world. This is attributed to the unity, values, and common language that bonds and strengthens the Rwandan society. The event also featured a panel discussion that reflected on the realities of how discrimination and divisionism were taught and executed for a long time, as well as the shared responsibility of protecting, sustaining achievements, and contributing to the country’s development by young people.
