Rwamagana–Bugesera district has been crowned the overall winner of provincial youth competitions in the Eastern Province. The winner  walked away with a trophy and cash prize.The competitions which featured singing, dance and sports among others were organised in line with the forth coming silver jubilee celebrations of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) due on December 20.Closing the contests, in Rwamagana, the Governor of the Eastern Province Odette Uwamariya, called on the youth to embrace patriotism in order to serve the nation better.The winners in the different disciplines are expected to represent the province at the national level.  Uwamariya, who presided over the function, said that the government was committed to ensuring active participation of the youth in reconstruction of the country.She said that the country’s development relied heavily on active participation of the youth equipped with fundamental skills."I am happy that the sports competitions were successful...we look forward to beating the whole country. The bottom-line however, is that we must use sports to mobilise the youth to be fully involved in developing the country,” she said.Speaking at the event, various district mayors in the province similarly echoed the Governor’s call for patriotism among the youth in order to push the country to greater heights of development.The Mayor of Bugesera District, Louis Rwagaju, urged the youth to participate in development projects that are mushrooming across the country."Young Rwandans must be more appreciative of their country and act as patriots. If we do not love the districts where we come from, there will be no prosperity in the country."Youth should do voluntary community work, create jobs and not always rely on everything from the government. We need to wake-up and do things ourselves,” he told the jubilant youth.Zacharia Mbonimana, 20, a high school student, also reiterated the need for patriotism to realise."It is imperative for young people in this country to learn to be patriotic, if social vices that the country is facing such as corruption are to be dealt with. As young people, we owe the society much in terms of development,” he said.