Kids should be acquainted with cultural values

Editor,Refer to the story, “150 youth trained in cultural values” (Sunday Times, December 22). Bravo to Rwanda Museums! It was a very cheerful and joyful outreach with cultural/traditional menu. The outreach, dubbed “Holidays in Museums”, for children between 10 and 15 years old is a programme under the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR) designed to cultivate and promote cultural values among the young generation for purposes of cultural identity.There is need to capture the attention of our children to fully understand and be part of Rwandan cultural heritage. Culture is dynamic in nature but a basic need to humanity. We need to train and reach out to many more children/youth as we can and instill the traditional/moral values that lay the foundation for Rwanda’s development.History should not always have to repeat itself; we need to be at the right cross of history this time round. And through outreach programmes in museums, we are hopeful and very optimistic that we will be able to turn the impossibilities into possibilities as we move this country ahead together.INMR and other cultural institutions in Rwanda need to come up with total support for this timely programme for the youth to enable and cover a wider perspective of the public and go beyond seeing museums as buildings but also go beyond and reach out to schools across the nation.This is a yearly activity that needs more funding and moral support to get fired up and keep going.John Dewey’s saying “let the children learn as they play” manifested during the 10-day holiday at the Presidential Palace museum in Kanombe, Kigali. Traditional games like wrestling, dances, and acrobatics, traditional drumming, and cultural fashion designing and inspirational songs stirred up creativity and fun on the closing day.These and many more activities impact on cultural promotion and development. Through such outreach programmes, we will not have to interact with the past on special occasions but we shall have history at our fingertips and the past will be part of us.Our young generation needs a champion and I believe INMR is at the forefront to champion the struggle in shaping better citizens of this nation.I call upon all stakeholders, well-wishers and NGO’s to come up and support Rwanda Museums as they promote and develop cultural values among our youth – the leaders of tomorrow. Let’s keep our children active through such outreaches. For the idle mind is the devil’s worship.Once again, kudos to the INMR.David Nkusi, Nyanza

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Kids should be acquainted with cultural values