Every year on February 1, Rwanda celebrates National Heroes Day. It is a day dedicated to people who exemplified and defended the highest values of patriotism and sacrifice for the wellbeing of the country and its citizens. In honour of these heroes, it is expected that national leaders will convene at the National Heroes’ Mausoleum in Remera to pay respect to the different heroes of different times who paid the ultimate price in service of the nation. In Rwanda, national heroes are recognized based on three categories – Imanzi, Imena, and Ingenzi. In the lead-up to this year’s Heroes Day, the Chancellery of Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO) has organised Heroism Week Kicking off on Friday, January 20. ALSO READ: Heroes Day: Kagame tasks youth to sustain the Rwandan spirit According to CHENO, there are different national orders awarded to people with heroic deeds. CHENO identifies and makes a list of people who deserve to be awarded with national orders. National orders National orders are symbols awarded by the national authorities to a person for having performed outstanding acts for public interest. Beneficiaries of the national orders are approved at the first level by CHENO and then at the final level by cabinet. The national orders are awarded by the President of the Republic or a person delegated by the President. ALSO READ: 25 years later, Nyange remembers gruesome attack, student heroes The medals for the recognised heroes are in different forms, as described by CHENO. The National Liberation Medal, Uruti is awarded to Rwandans and foreigners who contributed to the Liberation Struggle of 1990-1994. The Campaign against Genocide Medal, Umurinzi is awarded Rwandans and foreigners who participated in fighting and stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The National Order of Honour, Agaciro is awarded to a Rwandan or foreign head of state, head of government, the head of an international organisation or a high-ranking official who has distinguished himself or herself by acts of promoting the interests of Rwanda in political, economic, social welfare at national and international level. The National Order of Friendship, Igihango is awarded to an individual or a group of individuals who have acted in an exemplary manner in the promotion of friendship, cooperations between Rwanda and foreign countries and have positively promoted Rwanda at the international scene. The National Order of Performance, Indashyikirwa is awarded to an individual or a group of individuals who have accomplished remarkable and exemplary acts and innovations in the development of the country. The National Order of Culture, Indangamirwa is awarded to an individual or a group of individuals who have accomplished remarkable and exemplary acts in the promotion of Rwandan culture. The National Order of Bravery, Indengabahizi is awarded to an individual or group of individuals who have demonstrated outstanding supreme acts of personal sacrifice to save the lives of one or many people. Uruti and Umurinzi medals, which are made in gold, and the other orders are categorized according to the material they are made of. National orders made in gold are in the first class. Those made in silver and gold are the second class and those made in silver are in the third class.
