RUSIZI - The Vice Mayor of Rusizi District in charge of economic affairs, Marcel Habyarimana has called upon the youth in the district to work hard and promote  unity and reconciliation in their respective communities.

The Vice  Mayor made the call last Tuesday while  speaking at the Rusizi district level music, dance and drama final competitions organised by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with Cyangungu dioceses.

During the festival, youth from  Munyange, Yove, Nyamasheke, Mwezi, Cyangungu and Mibirizi parishes met at Rusizi stadium to perform original compositions with unity and reconciliation messages.

"On behalf of our district authorities I thank specifically Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Catholic Church generally for their Justice and Peace Commissions for working hard to reach out to a big number of youth with community healing messages,” he said.

"You are the leaders of tomorrow, if seeds of forgiveness, love, peace, unity and reconciliation are planted in you, Rwanda will be a better place tomorrow,” he added.

Joseph Muyango, the Justice and Peace Program Manager at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) said that his organization will continue supporting such initiatives that promote justice, peace, unity and reconciliation in the district.

He said that CRS through its community healing and reconciliation program collaborates with Caritas another  catholic organization and the Catholic Church generally to visit and assist the most vulnerable genocide survivors for the purposes of offering them support.

On the other hand CRS also reaches out to genocide perpetrators in prisons to encourage them to tell the truth of what happened during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis and the importance of asking for forgiveness.

Nyamasheke parish priest Father Valens Niragire explained that the music, dance and drama competitions started in December last year. Participation was drawn from the 12 parishes that make up Cyangungu dioceses. He said the six best parishes were selected out of the 12 to compete in the finals at the district level.

Nyasheke parish came first and Mibirizi second. The winners were given cash prizes of Rwf 50,000 and Rwf 30,000 respectively.

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