The Minister for Sports and Culture, Julienne Uwacu, has urged the youth to keep practicing their cultural norms as a symbol of national heritage, saying losing traditional values to foreign influences would greatly affect their identity as Rwandans.

Uwacu was speaking at a cultural show at the indoor stadium in Remera, Kigali. The show served as an occasion to remind Rwandans how celebrations were conducted in the past.

She said as a way of keeping the norms and culture of Rwandans fresh in people’s minds such shows would be organised often.

The show featured dance, singing and poems, among the many ways traditional Rwanda celebrated its heritage.The show saw vibrant girls and boys, women and men dance to folk songs.

Popular traditional singers Maria Yohana and Muyango lit up the occasion as they sang hit songs like Nyundo weee (Muyango).

Emmanuel Bugingo, the director of culture and sports at the ministry, said, on such occasions, Rwandans are able to have a feeling of their traditional culture.

"The youth are able to learn of their culture, norms and history of Rwanda from some of the presentations,” Bugingo said.

The event was organised by the National Ballet in conjunction with the Ministry of Sports and Culture.

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