MUHANGA- Students in Muhanga district have been encouraged to work hard to foster unity and reconciliation in schools and their respective communities.

Maxwell Ndimo, an official of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)

-Rwanda, made the remarks at the end of school competitions on the role of youth in reconciliation and peace building in Rwanda.

The competitions held last week, were organized by ADRA-Rwanda under the theme "The role of youth in unity and reconciliation.”

Sixteen secondary schools from the district participated in the competition that aimed at raising awareness about peace, unity and reconciliation, through dramas, dance, poems and songs.

"The intension is to promote unity among students so that others can learn from the messages delivered in various aspects of the competitions,” said Diana Magezi, the ADRA Peace education for development project coordinator.

The best performing schools received awards in each of the competition categories which included trophies, sports uniforms, basket, volley and footballs.

The students said that reconciliation was a necessity and resolved to promote such values in their communities.

"Reconciliation is our call because we have a future to build. Despite the challenges created by our parents, we have to work hard to attain unity, since we have to live with students whose parents may have committed crimes or were affected by genocide,” stated Umutoni Tusime, a student of Elena Guerra Secondary School.

The Southern Province army commander, Brig. Gen. Mubarak Muganga, who attended the closing ceremony, hailed the youth for understanding the importance of unity and reconciliation in the province.

"The messages indicate that youth have understood the meaning of unity, peace and reconciliation. This should be the objective of all youth so as to model a bright future for this country,” Muganga said.

Ends