Youth from various countries in the Commonwealth are currently meeting in Kigali under the Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership Program, a key project of the Royal Commonwealth society.

For 10 days, the youth, aged 18-25, will focus on international understanding, peace building and conflict resolution skills.

During such a meeting, it is inevitable that there is a lot that the young participants will learn from one another. Ideas will be exchanged and by the end of the 10-days, the participants will not be the same people they were, before the program started.

Rwanda has invested a lot in youth development, as a way of preparing the next generation for the challenges ahead. They are intergraded into the entire government structures, making them part of the country’s decision making process.

The youth have been empowered to play an active role in the country’s reconstruction and development efforts.

It is such experience that they youth from other Commonwealth member states will be tapping from during their time in the country. Rwanda may be the youngest member of the Commonwealth, but its dark history, remarkable recovery process and successful reconciliation story, offer a great lesson to the youth around the world.

As future leaders, it is important that the youth, today, engage in the international issues that affect the world.

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