President Paul Kagame has urged the youth who completed the twelfth edition of Indangamirwa series of civic education programme, Itorero, to always strive to live by the Rwandan culture. 

He delivered the message on Thursday to 698 young Rwandans who completed the training at Gabiro Combat Training Centre in Gatsibo District, Eastern Province.       

Encouraging the young people to be custodians of the Rwandan culture as they build their own future and that of the country, the president urged the young citizens to also work hard to speak Kinyarwanda.   

"I want to encourage you to learn Kinyarwanda because understanding one’s language is part of culture,” he said.

This year’s cohort of Indangamirwa included some high school graduates, Rwandan university students, and best performing public servants, school leaders as well as young entrepreneurs.

President Kagame told them that the essence of Itorero programme is to equip Rwandans with the right kind of values they need in order to develop and protect their country.

"Being part of Itorero teaches you the role you have in moving the country forward. Being educated is not enough, you must have discipline and values. Itorero gives you the values to put your education to use,” he said.

He urged the youth to shun destructive habits such as drug abuse and encouraged them to work hard and aim high.

The President explained that they should be striving to manufacture highly technical products such as cars and electronic equipment, adding that with education, there is no limit to what Rwandans are capable of manufacturing.

"We can’t just be stopping at making bread. We have to aim higher. Cars, phones, electronics should not only be manufactured by others. We are all capable of doing it,” he said.

Members of the 12th Indangamirwa cohort during a morale boosting session during the pass-out at Gabiro Combat Training Centre esterday. / Village Urugwiro

At the completed training, which lasted for about six weeks, the participants were trained in both military skills as well as civic education.

Edouard Bamporiki, the head of the National Itorero Commission, described the training as preparing the youth to be the country’s future leaders and protectors.

The trainees pledged to be good ambassadors for their country and to be role models in society by fighting crimes like drug abuse and dealing, human trafficking, as well as volunteer to teach the Rwandan culture and Kinyarwanda language to those who don’t speak it.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com