First Lady Jeannette Kagame has challenged Rwandan mothers in the Diaspora to inculcate in their children a culture of mission and responsibility as the avenue towards the country’s brighter future.

Mrs Kagame said this during a keynote address at the inaugural Rwanda Women in Diaspora Convention held in the Washington DC, on Saturday.

The convention was organized by United States Rwandan Diapora, in collaboration with the Embassy of Rwanda in Washington, DC, and the Rwandan International Network Association (RINA).

It was held under the theme: "Empowering Rwandan Women in the Diaspora: Challenges and Opportunities.”

"It is our responsibility to teach our children about our history, so that they can know the path Rwanda has walked, the heroism, the strong spirit and humility that defines us,” she said.

The convention featured a series of discussions about the role of the different generations of women in shaping the future of Rwanda and the experiences of those living abroad who continue to uphold Rwanda’s heritage despite the challenges of adapting to the western world.

"The moment we achieve this, I believe our youth will understand best how to handle themselves in the Diaspora and this would eventually guide them to becoming responsible citizens,” Mrs Kagame noted.

The Convention, which brought together about 500 participants from the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, southern and western states of the US, and Rwanda, was organised in recognition of the role played by women in the country’s rebirth.

Attendees included the Ambassador of Rwanda to the United States, Mrs Mathilde Mukantabana; the Presidents of the National and Regional US Diaspora, Rwandan government officials, and members of civil society, along with Rwandans living abroad, of all ages.

The First Lady echoed gains made towards women empowerment in Rwanda, particularly outlining political inclusion and gender mainstreaming in public policy, which she said has enabled Rwandan parliament to have a record 64 per cent of women presentation and 40 per cent in cabinet.

"Those statistics are not given to impress. It’s rather to impress upon all of us here, that we have a mission and responsibility, to nurture the gains we scored through hardship and sacrifice. We are truly riding on able shoulders of men and women, who have secured a safe home we are all proud of ,” she said.

Telling children positive stories

Mrs Kagame called on participants to let their children know that, "they do come from generations of trendsetters,” who embraced gender parity earlier on, because they simply could not deny that men and women are equal, and that everyone has something to contribute toward the rebuilding of the nation.

She added that women have been important players of Rwanda’s liberation struggle and have been equally important in the rebuilding process.

The First Lady said that during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, women were among the important groups in Rwanda that carried the ‘heaviest burden’, and may have seen the worst of it all, with some becoming widows, other orphaned, while many others became victims of rape and other atrocities.

"And yet, they picked up the pieces and started to mend the torn fabric of their society. They fixed, reconciled, held their head high, and lived again,” she said.

"So to honour the sacrifices our women made, let us maintain, and sustain, the level playing field we have been accorded in Rwanda. We can’t afford to relax. We should be able to seize these opportunities to make sure that this way of life is a norm for our daughters, and grand-daughters,” Mrs Kagame added.

She said that everyone’s goal should be to create a society in which Rwanda boys and girls will be able to thrive, prosper, and to become the ground-breakers they were meant to be, without considering gender, as a limitation to achieving greatness.

Mrs Kagame, urged women and youth in Diaspora that being exposed to different cultures is an opportunity to combine the best of ‘all worlds’, and build from it, to create the right environment for themselves, and their families to thrive.

"The Rwanda we have today is a mosaic, made of people coming from all corners of this world, bringing with them a diversity of experiences, which merged together to create the nation we all call ‘home’,” the First Lady said.

The First Lady also called on Rwandan youths in the Diaspora to shun stereotypical views about their homeland, but to engage with Rwanda with an open mind, evolve from a virtual perspective, to discover in person, what their land has in store for them.

"I trust that once you develop this new mindset, you will be able to understand our society better, and will accordingly engage in worthwhile initiatives, that will improve the lives of your people, in our communities,” she said.

The event is aimed at supporting the vision of a Rwanda that is integrated, prosperous, people-centred, at peace with itself, and asserting its place in the global community.

Other objectives of the convention include, branding the concept of Agaciro (dignity), identifying areas where women in the Diaspora can fill the gaps for a sustainable impact, and to enhance Rwanda’s image globally.

Sharing their views on the role of every Rwandan in upholding their country’s heritage, panelists insisted on the necessity for all to stay connected to their land, whether by speaking their native language, knowing the cultural expressions of the land, and cultivating relationships with other Rwandans.

Panelists also emphasised that staying connected required those in the diaspora to stay updated about the news of the country, researching its different policies and initiatives, and engaging with those, to contribute positively to the rebuilding of the nation.

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