WESTERN PROVINCE

KIBUYE — As part of the activities to commemorate this year’s mourning week, Gishyita sector is organising a grand anti-genocide festival to take place on March 28.

The festival is meant to assess the implementation of what was resolved earlier in January, during the students’ march to Bissesero memorial site, which was dubbed 25 kilometers against genocide ideology.

"Many strategies of fighting genocide ideology in schools were laid down during that march, so we want to use this event to assess if they have been implemented by the specific clubs," Auguste Museruka, the sector executive secretary told The New Times last week.

The clubs were formed in different schools composing of students and teachers to stem genocide ideology in schools.

The event will be highlighted by songs, drama, poems on the events during the Genocide, and athletics competitions all geared towards stemming genocide ideology. Thereafter, a seminar will be conducted at the Sector offices to enlighten parents about what characterised Rwanda, during the pre-Genocide days, seen as breeding ground for the Genocide, and what should be done to weed out the vice.

"The January march to Bisesero targeted students, but the festival is targeting all parents of Gishyita," explained Museruka. He criticized parents who impart genocide ideology among their children.

It has been noted that genocide ideology is normally rife when students have just reported to school after holidays, and reduced towards the end of the semester; an indication, leaders say, parents propagate ethnic hatred.

During the festival, each of the seven clubs in the seven schools of Gishyita will showcase their achievements in stemming the vice in schools. It is also expected to educate people on what to do during the mourning week in April, to comfort those who lost their relatives to the Genocide.

"Reports of people insulting survivors during the commemoration week have often been evident which shouldn’t be the case this time," said Museruka.

After the festival, participants will again stage a protest 25 kilometers march against the genocide ideology to Bissesero. Then parents will form clubs to teach others who will be absent, about weeding out genocide ideology in the sector.

Officials of the Ministry of Education, National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, and district leaders are expected to attend the function.

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