Rwandan youth living in The Netherlands have been tipped on the importance of loving their country and continent, and the role they can play in building them.

The message was passed on the weekend during a virtual meeting organized by the Rwandan embassy in The Netherlands where the youth heard from speakers including the Minister for Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbabazi and the Rwanda envoy to The Netherlands, Olivier Nduhungirehe.

Other speakers included Protais Musoni, the Chairperson of the Pan African Movement Rwanda (PAM – Rwanda).

Addressing the audience, Nduhungirehe explained the close relationship patriotism and pan-Africanism in relation to Rwanda.

"Our Pan African vision is driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena cannot succeed without patriotism in our individual states,” he said.

"We cannot love our continent without loving our country first and working for its transformation and integration. The good thing in this is that the youth are at the centre of this transformational and pan-African process,” he added.

Zeroing in on Rwanda and the importance it attaches to pan-Africanism and patriotism, the envoy highlighted a number of programmes that the country has put in place to instill such values among the youth.

"A number of civic engagement initiatives have been undertaken to instill these values in the youth; initiatives like Itorero, Youth Connekt, Meet the President among others which have not only gained recognition among the youth, but also in the Rwandan communities abroad,” he said.

In her remarks, Minister Mbabazi reminded the youth of the power they possess to cause impact.

"Rwanda was destroyed through the role of young people and similarly, the country was liberated by young people who were eager to change Rwandan livelihoods. You have a mission of sustaining this nation that we call home,” she said.

"So, connect with your country. This is where your roots are,” she said.

She also tipped them on acquiring skills as much as possible, and upon coming back to Rwanda, try to use them to come up with new solutions.

Musoni urged them about their obligation towards patriotism,

"No one should teach us to be patriotic, it should be automatic by obligation and responsibility. Specifically, for diaspora communities, in the countries where you have travelled, you should be thinking what is new that would be helpful to Rwandans,” he said.