Rwanda needs productive youth with aptitude, patriotism to sustain and push forward the current development, Youth and ICT Minister Jean-Philbert Nsengimana has said.

Nsengimana was addressing 800 youth convened at Rwanda Defence Forces Combat Training Centre in Gabiro, for a week-long Itorero, or civic training, referred to as Urunana rw'Urungano youth forum.

The civic forum, which started on 6 December is due to close today. This 'Urunana rw'Urungano' is organised by the Ministry of Youth & ICT in collaboration with the Ministries of Sports and Culture, Foreign Affairs, Local Government, Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Defense, Health, and Education; but also government and non-governmental institutions, including the National Itorero Commission, the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, among others.

Participants range from 21 to 35 years, and come from communities in Rwanda, and abroad, more specifically from Belgium, China, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Maroc, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Youth coming from abroad include children of Rwandan refugees, who to this day, still have not come back to Rwanda since 1994.

It features a series of "open” discussions and testimonies from government leaders and the young participants, often bringing into comparison the policies that governed Rwanda pre-1994; and those currently in place, that have put in place systems prohibiting the promotion of ethnic affiliations in the public spheres, while fostering a culture of self-reliance among its population.

Topics covered during this Itorero were on the history of Rwanda; the uniqueness of its youth through time; the nation's development vision and the role of its youth; entrepreneurship; identifying and coping with trauma; and ends today with a conversation on Rwanda's liberation struggle, to be presented by Minister of Defense, Gen. James Kabarebe.

With every topic focusing on the place of the youth in this nation-building, all discussions aimed at informing participants about Rwanda’s development journey, unity and reconciliation since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—and what the country expects from its youth going forward.

"We want a youth that understands our history and the vision of the country. We want a ‘happy generation’ that feels privileged to be Rwandan,” Nsengimana said.

"We want healthy youth with good attitude and values, patriotism, productive—towards the development of their nation and own families. We want youth connected and innovative in every aspect of their endeavors to shape the right future of our country.”

Minister Nsengimana took time to share his testimony with the youth, recalling how he was born at a time when the leadership incited discrimination and ethnic division.

He argued that, "It is a blessing to have a visionary leadership now..”

"During the Genocide, I and my family fled the country to former Zaire and stayed in the forest until 1996 when we returned to Rwanda. During that time, in DR Congo, we heard several tales about Rwanda, telling us that none would survive if we returned to the country,” Nsengimana narrated.

"When we retuned, I joined former National University of Rwanda in 1997 and I was among the first people to form the inter-university council; which brought together youth who sought unity and development ideas for the nation, and ourselves,” he added.

Unfortunately, Nsengimana’s father was accused of Genocide crimes and was imprisoned. He later on passed on while still in prison.

"It is very hard to argue that someone (whose father) was a leader at that time had no clue about the preparation and perpetration of the genocide against the Tutsi, because Genocide was planned for years,” Nsengimana added.

"Nonetheless, we want to move forward. We all know where this country has come from and the vision in place underlines where we want to go. It is your responsibility as youth to carry on and defend the achievements made,” he reiterated.

Sports and Culture Minister Julienne Uwacu, said it is imperative that Rwanda’s "next leaders”—who are the young people—must embrace cultural values and Rwandan identity (Ndi Umunyarwanda) for a united nation.

"A country that has no cultural values will certainly collapse. We want to build our country, strongly rooted in our cultural values and dignity—which is embedded within the national development agenda.”

Challenging parents

Noella Dusabimana, one of the participants called for civic training for parents, saying they (parents”) are "mainly” the cause of some of the ethnic division ideologies that still exist.

"I want to tell you that as much as you have convened us here, there is a need to bring parents and older generations of Rwanda and educate them on the need to change mindset, and focused on building a united nation, rather than spreading ethnic divisions among their children.”

The 2015 Rwanda Reconciliation Barometer, released last October, indicates that up to 92.5 per cent of Rwandans today feel that unity and reconciliation has been achieved and that citizens live in harmony.

But the survey indicates that 27.9 per cent of Rwandans view themselves through the lenses of ethnic groups (Hutu, Tutsi and Twa), while 25 per cent still see divisions and genocide ideology among their compatriots.

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