Rwandan artists were last Friday advised to learn English lessons in order to easily market their products. The advice came from the Minister of Sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza, during the Art for Peace Competition’s prize-giving ceremony at the Richard Kant House in the City Centre. To emphasise his point, the Minister pledged to provide a teacher who would teach the artists.

"Just group yourselves and inform me and I will get you a teacher for the English language,” Habineza pledged.

At the ceremony, five artists who took part in the competition organized by the Rwanda National Museum, were awarded prizes ranging from between Rwf 500,000 to 700,000 and medals.

Among the five winners, Epa Binamungu won two prizes, in the paintings and sculpture categories. The other winners were Kofi Kankolongo, Fabian Akimana, Medard Bizimana and Philemon Twagiramungu.

According to the organizers, the competition whose theme was ‘Education to the Culture of Excellence through Itorero’ aimed at using art in the promotion of peace awareness.

The theme for 2006 when they were first held was ‘Peace and Tolerance’ while last year’s was ‘Can’t forget, can’t remember.’
Referring to eighteen year-old Fabian Akimana’s inspirational art piece, Habineza urged the organizers to attract more young artists in their next competition.

The Minister also reminded those present about the proper definition of peace and their role in promoting a peaceful world.

"When we talk about peace, we are not referring to restoring it after fighting and wars; if your neighbour has no food; if your neighbour’s children are not going to school, then you definitely have no peace also. It is in this sense that we should use art for peace,” he advised.

Habineza also called upon the artists to apply modern technology to ensure high quality products they can sell to the international community.

Meanwhile, the National Art for Peace Museum is expected to be constructed in the Northern Province and all art pieces exhibited at the competition will be displayed there. Also present at this year’s prize giving ceremony was German Ambassador to Rwanda, Christian Clages.

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