Rwandans ought to share and give support to vulnerable families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of the ways to celebrate the National Harvest Day.

This is according to the Minister of Youth and Culture, Rose Mary Mbabazi.

The national harvest day, commonly known as Umuganura, originates from a 9th-century tradition and is celebrated on the first Friday of August every year.

As opposed to the previous editions, the public has been advised to digitally mark the day in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The latter, according to Minister Mbabazi should not be ignored during countrywide celebrations.

"We should fend off from the coronavirus, as we support those who have been greatly affected," she said adding, "We are called upon to collaborate in this fight as we remain optimistic for the future."

Minister Mbabazi shared similar sentiments with Sheikh Abdul Kareem Harelimana, one of the elders who have experienced the evolution of Umuganura.

"It is not just about celebration, there is also need for strategic goals on fighting this pandemic, s that we can return to normalcy."

Particularly, Harelimana called on the young generation to be at the forefront of the country’s ambition of battling the pandemic, stressing the need to preserve the country’s heritage.

"The young generation should not understand this day as just a celebration, this was also a time where Rwandans reflected on the deficits and problems encountered in that specific time, in order to find a solution."

Right now, he added, we are experiencing challenging times due to pandemic, but there needs to be discussions on how to return back to normal.

"The youth should know that we still have our culture for which we can still source our ideas,” Sheikh Harelimana asserted.

Previously, he said, Umuganura created an opportunity of educating the young generation on the importance of safeguarding the Rwandan cultural heritage.

During the celebrations, he pointed out that there were several awards to recognize the achievements in various sectors of the economy, recognizing the efforts of those involved and strategize for increased harvest in the subsequent seasons.

Despite its long history, Umuganura has only been a public holiday since 2011. Its celebration was suppressed during Rwanda's colonial period.