BRUSSELS - Over 80 young Rwandan men and women last week met in Brussels, Belgium, for the very first Itorero 2010 project.

The five-day forum. was organised by the Rwandan Embassy and the Rwandan Diaspora attracted participants from the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France and Belgium.

The average age was 24 years old. However, only those aged above 18 years were allowed to participate.
"We want to build upon the success of the Itorero 2010 in Europe to further foster our common Rwandan values of fraternity, excellence and loyalty,” said Joël Ndoli Pierre, the Communication & Information Officer Rwandan Embassy in Belgium.

Several activities such as sports at dawn, jogging in the woods while chanting Rwandan songs, refreshed the participants for the upcoming journey. Urban golf, basketball, football and volleyball were also on the menu.

Other activities included a series of conferences and debates, where the concept of Itorero, Vision 2020, social cohesion and the role of youth within the Diaspora was presented by experts and followed by a series of questions from the participants.

The participants were addressed by Gérard Ntwari, the Ambassador of Rwanda in Belgium, William Ntidendereza, Vice Chairman of Itorero and Alphonse Nkuranga, Executive Secretary of National Youth Council.

"During the Itorero 2010 in Belgium, we had an important workshop on social cohesion, values, anti-values and genocide,” said Serge Indemarugamba Kamuhinda, a member of WAF (@wakening Abilities for the Future), the organizer the Itorero 2010.

"We had an elderly man who talked about the values of ancient Rwanda, where everyone exercised public service through hospitality and solidarity with the conscience of a common cause (ishyaka)”.

At the same event, cultural workshops to learn Kinyarwanda, dance and theatre were conducted by Rwandan artists such as Atome, Muyango, and Hervé Twahirwa who were the facilitators during the workshops.

The highlights of the Itorero were the intergenerational informal discussions, networking with young achievers, concert and games.

At the end of Itorero, participants chose the following words to describe their experience and expectations: roots, renaissance and pioneer. Therefore, the overall name of the 10 different groups (Inganji, Ingorabahizi, Izogeye, Inyamibwa, Ingenzi, Inganzo, Imena, Imanzi, Indahemuka, Indatwa) within the Itorero 2010 was identified as Isonga.

Ends