Rwandans in the diaspora will join their compatriots in the country to celebrate Umuganura, the national harvest day, on Friday, August 2.
On Umuganura Day, which is a national holiday, Rwandans and their friends celebrate their harvest in ceremonies organised across the country, where they share various traditional foods and give children milk as a sign of promoting their healthy development.
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At the national level, this year’s Umuganura was celebrated in Kayonza District, Eastern Province. During the harvest day celebrations, Rwandans are encouraged to continue striving for national unity, patriotism and working for the development of the country.
Umuganura 2024 is also an occasion for Rwandans to support the national school feeding programme, thought the "Dusangire Lunch” campaign.
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Members of the Rwandan community in various countries will also celebrate Umuganura throughout August with culture promotion activities as well as with contributions to the school feeding programme back home.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, James Kimonyo, said that the embassy will host the Umuganura event at its office in Beijing, with additional events planned in seven other Chinese cities.
"One of our key activities is the launch of the Dusangire Lunch challenge within our community,” Kimonyo said.
"This involves committing to feed a certain number of students in Rwandan schools to fuel the spirit of solidarity, encouraging contributions towards collective efforts and shared prosperity.”
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He noted that such initiatives are not new, as Rwandans in China also participated in the ‘Cana Challenge’, which contributed to the supply of solar energy in thousands of homes, as part of the national electrification endeavour.
He also urged Rwandans in China, especially students, to celebrate Umuganura by recognizing their role in the future of their families and the country.
"Work hard and ensure your success. Remember that you are contributing to the nation. Don’t squander opportunities or misuse them. The celebration is also a reminder for those who did not perform well to improve,” Kimonyo said.
For Lawrence Manzi, Rwanda’s ambassador to Brazil, Umuganura 2024 provides an opportunity for the newly opened embassy to promote Rwandan culture in the Latin American country.
"The embassy is just four months old,” Manzi said. "We don’t have a huge diaspora like other countries. However, we are in the process of extending Rwanda’s culture to them.”
"Initiatives like Umuganura give us the chance to talk about our country and teach non-Rwandans more about our country,” he said
Prosper Higiro, Rwanda’s envoy to Canada, echoed similar sentiments, stating that Umuganura is one of biggest celebrations for Rwandans in North America.
This year’s celebrations will be hosted on August 17 in Ottawa.
"Here in Canada, we have established the Rwandan Culture Centre in Ottawa, which educates young Rwandans about their culture, Kinyarwanda, and other civic matters, particularly Rwanda’s history,” Higiro said.
"At this year’s event, we want to involve these Rwandans to help them understand why we celebrate Umuganura, how it used to be observed, and the bond they ought to share with their mother country.”
He added that the event will be an opportunity to promote the "Dusangire Lunch” campaign.