RWANDA National Olympic Committee will join the rest of the world in celebrating the 2014 Olympic Week scheduled for June 16 to 22 in different areas across the country. The Olympic Committee Chief Robert Bayigamba confirmed the development in a news conference held on Thursday at Amahoro stadium. Bayigamba said, “The Olympic week is organized under the concept of Run, Learn and Discover. The first Olympic Day was launched on June 23 in 1948 and this year we will be celebrating the 66th anniversary.” According to Bayigamba, this year’s event is a celebration of the Olympic Movement in Rwanda and will include several activities like the exhibition of archery, fencing and taekwondo as well as traditional sports like ‘igisoro, kumasha, gusimbuka, urukiramende, nyankoni, uruziga and kwikuranaho’. The combination of traditional and modern sport is an appreciation of the history and evolution of sport in Rwanda as the country celebrates it’s past and present in one event. The celebrations have been organized to take place in all the five provinces; OlympAfrica center in Nyanza on June 16, Ecole Secondaire St Vincent Muhoza in Musanze on June 17, IPRC West in Karongi on June 18, Groupe Scolaire St Aloys in Rwamagana on June 19, Kigali regional Stadium on June 20 and Amahoro stadium on June 22. On June 22, a 15km Olympic Day Run will be held and will be open to everyone above 16 years. A 5km Run for fun uniquely designed to encourage participants in a friendly environment will also be held at Amahoro stadium on June 16. Children will also be engaged in an IAAF Kids Athletics event with an aim of providing children with the most beneficial practice of athletics in terms of heath, education and self-fulfillment.
