Today, July 4, Rwanda celebrates Liberation Day, a major day for the people of Rwanda. July 4, 1994, marked the end of the Genocide against the Tutsi and the birth of a new Rwanda that rose from the deepest darkness.

Memories of our darkest period live on. They continue to occupy our thoughts and remain a constant reminder of the need to safeguard the values of the liberation. 

The Liberation struggle wasn’t an easy one. Rwandans sacrificed because they had a vision of a free Rwanda.

The heroes of the Liberation were also ordinary people who might not have been at the forefront but were involved in the struggle. Today, Rwandans unite to reflect on freedoms, and honour the heroes and celebrate our success.

I would like to take the opportunity to pay my special tribute to men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we can enjoy liberty and lead dignified lives. As you sit thousands of miles away from us I just hope that you are watching and reading this. We will always endeavour to live up to your values and principles.

Our parents volunteered their children to fight in the Liberation. Our brothers and sisters left schools and other comfort zones to take part in the Liberation struggle. They spent days without food or sleep, many lost lives, their friends and others were being persecuted because they were born Tutsi.

They all sacrificed for what they believed in. They believed in something big and sacrificed everything they had, including life. It was big enough; it is a country free of discrimination, an identity, and a country to call home. The cost was heavy but they left us with a country.

Now that we have the country, what is expected of us? Our parents did their share, their children did theirs; what is it that is asked of us? What does a country mean to us?

Frantz Fanon once said: "Each generation must discover its mission, fulfil it or betray it, in relative opacity”

Today, the question to the young generation is: what is your mission? And upon discovering the mission, the next question will be; how do you go about achieving that mission?

As a way forward, the young generation must accept the responsibility to be the cornerstone for the Rwanda we want. But before you take on the responsibility, you must discover who you are and be ready for the continued aspirations of the Rwanda we want.

A foundation has been laid with a big window of opportunities. A relatively good education to learn skills in order to become better citizens of tomorrow has been provided. The investment in education is intended to give the young generation the needed tools to accept the responsibility.

With such a base, the young generation should accept the responsibility, to fulfil their mission of being responsible citizens. It will be sad if the youth squander this opportunity.

‘Flame of Hope’

In all commemorations of the Genocide against the Tutsi, a torch is used to reignite our mission. The torch is a symbol and a call to reignite our courage to stand on the right side.

So it’s up to the present generation to keep the flame of hope and pass it on to the next generation. This will help keep the mission alive. It is the responsibility of the present generation as leaders of today and tomorrow, either to fulfil this mission or betray it.

Rwanda’s home-grown solutions and ownership has been key pillars in shaping our forward looking. Successful rebuilding of a nation requires the active involvement and engagement of local actors at all levels of society, and particularly the youth.

Also, as leaders of today, it is our responsibility to produce a generation of solutions.

Ndi Umunyarwanda is one of our local initiatives as a nation-building tool, intended to inculcate a sense of Rwandan-ness and patriotism to help the youth keep their mission and the torch alive.

In pursuing our aspirations to build the future we want, we must not forget yesterday. Yesterday shapes tomorrow and today depends upon yesterday and the future depends upon today.

Rwandans who lived first-hand test of Liberation struggle should write about lessons from the struggle, stories about life in exile and the underground movements of liberation organisations. It will be such records that will help young people value the freedom they enjoy today.

If we do not write, someone else will and they will distort it or write it out of context.

The writer is the First Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the Kingdom of The Netherlands.