The Speaker of Parliament, Donatile Mukabalisa has told visiting American students that Rwandans chose to stay together and search for common development goals by abandoning divisive tendencies of the past.

While giving the students insights into Rwanda’s history and the post-genocide reconstruction process, the Speaker noted that the country is now on a development path because of the right choices made by the people to forge unity.

"We decided to stay together, despite what happened 20 years ago; thinking big with the aim of developing a homegrown solution-based society,” Mukabalisa said.

Thirteen students from Middlebury Institute of International Studies are in the country for three weeks. The students, majority of them at graduate level, will attend a joint training with local professionals at Rwinkwavu Community Library and Learning Center on how to develop projects and partnerships.

Mukabalisa told the scholars that, "Rwandans decided to come together and confront obstacles in search of a common vision towards national development. We define our own development in an inclusive and participatory manner.”

Katie Barthelow, student of a joint master’s programme in public administration and international education management, described Rwanda’s youth development programmes as impressive.

"In the context of youth and women empowerment, good governance, unity and reconciliation, this country is doing things I have not seen anywhere. In all the organisations I have been to, there are real youth leadership positions at various levels that are taken serious. For instance, on a visit to the Girl Hub Rwanda, we found out how young women are trained to become great researchers and go out to inspire other women; that is so interesting,” she said.

Rana Abdelhamid, Egyptian-born American student of international politics noted that before her visit, she knew that 64 per cent of MPs in the Lower Chamber are women; and she wanted to see the impact this had on national development.

"I have realised that it is not just about numbers, but rather the policies in place and the political system that allows equal participation in national development,” she said.

Meanwhile, another group of fourteen young adults from Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda, visited the Senate on Friday.

They met the Vice-President in charge of finance and administration, Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba.

They are on a two-week Peace Building Institute programme, hosted by Never Again Rwanda, which teaches young people to foster peace in their own communities by learning from Rwanda’s experience.

Eric Mahoro, Never Again Rwanda country director, said that participants will learn about Rwanda’s parliament, how legislative processes affect citizens, how citizens convey their feedback to the government and how the government takes this feedback into consideration when making laws.

Students will also learn about the role Parliament plays in post-genocide reconstruction, promoting reconciliation and development.