Rwandan youth have been urged to love and promote their culture. The call was made by Alphonse Umulisa, the director general of the National Institute of Museums in Rwanda, during an event to showcase traditional Kinyarwanda art, crafts, dressing and literature at Riviera High School last week.

"Some of these things cannot be found at home. They are now in museums and we need to find them to understand our cultural norms,” he explained, adding that it is very cheap to visit these sites.

Jackie Umutoni, a student at Riviera High School, said the exhibition helped her appreciate the significance of a cow in the Kinyarwanda culture.

"My father has always told me to go with him to the farm and I just ignore him but I have now known the value of cows in our traditional culture. I can’t wait for the next visit to the farm,” she stressed.

Another student, Peninah Mutesi, vowed never to expose her body parts because it contradicts her culture.

"I now understand that imported cultures have a negative impact on our society,” Mutesi said adding that: "They instill spiteful behaviour in young people.”