President Paul Kagame has called on the youth to use all the resources at their disposal to achieve the objectives of what they want to be in life.
President Paul Kagame has called on the youth to use all the resources at their disposal to achieve the objectives of what they want to be in life.
Kagame made the remarks Thursday night while addressing about 300 youths gathered for the Imbuto Foundation’s Youth Forum Series (YFS), which was organised under the theme, "What do you stand for?”
The forum sought to challenge the youth to question perceptions and take responsibility for defining their identity and future.
Delivering closing remarks, President Kagame called on the youth to find their place in this globalised world.
"What we stand for will define our wellbeing in the near or distant future. Rwanda will finally be what it wants to be if we decide that we are going to be focused and do everything that is within our means and power to be who we want to be,” Kagame said.
Describing the response to the Genocide against the Tutsi as symptomatic of the low expectations the world has of Africa, Kagame called on Africa to take responsibility defying expectations and taking ownership of its future.
"Maybe we shouldn’t be creating these situations and expecting people will come to our rescue. The best thing is never to go in that direction, otherwise we are playing in the hands of people who say: what else do you expect from them.”
"We cannot talk about leaders, good politics, unless we are able to take responsibility for ourselves. There is no escaping it,” Kagame added.
'What do you stand for'? forum panelists, (L-R) Andrew Mwenda - Managing Director of the Independent Publications Limited; Diyana Gitera - Deputy Director General at Imbuto Foundation; Junior Sabena Mutabazi - Public policy analyst and Columnist; Semhal Meles Zenawi - Researcher and Creative consultant; Sunny Ntayombya (moderator) - Associate Editor at The New Times Publications. (Courtesy)
Embracing culture
Speaking at the same event, First Lady Jeannette Kagame called on Rwandan youths to always embrace their culture and challenge themselves when choosing values that will guide their way of life.
"We need the leaders of tomorrow to proudly believe in their culture and always exhibit it in a dignified manner,” Mrs Kagame.
She noted that there is pride in believing in one’s culture.
"I encourage you to take a greater interest in our continent’s history and to discover the beauty of our cultures. This exercise will help you learn about the great trend-setters who changed the face of this continent, and still inspire us to not give up, but rather keep working hard to instill a sense of dignity and respect for all mankind,” she said.
"To stand for something that is truly your own, while learning to become critical of these socio-cultural and political influences that continue to dominate the world we live in.”
The Youth Forum Series is part of the Imbuto Foundation’s Youth Empowerment and Mentorship Programme, which started in 2007.
Each year, the YFS brings together specific segments of youth and features renowned speakers on topics ranging from socio-economic and political awareness, professionalism, entrepreneurship, communication, self-reliance, to unity and reconciliation.
The forum was attended by government officials, legislators and scholars, among others.
Journalists Andrew Mwenda, one of the panelists, said there is a need for the youth to learn from traditional institutions and build a stronger and proud future generation of Africans.
Mwenda’s comments were echoed by Semhal Meles, daughter of former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who noted that "Africa was a mess before the independence times, and now it’s the time to accept our history and shape the Africa everyone is proud of.”