Why we need a 'green museum'

Editor, Reference is made to the article, “Environment Day to be marked in Rutsiro” (The New Times, June 4). Our world is troubled today and nature is threatened so often because of the belief that some other people will save it. We should be deeply concerned with the ecological crisis of our planet and taking up the challenge to solve this crisis does not only mean resorting to science but reflecting on the very first relationship between our senses and nature. There is need for a close interaction of our people with their environments as we introduce new ideas and approaches to stimulate sustainable forms of development. This lays out our vision for a comprehensive plan to reduce carbon pollution, prepare our country for the impacts of climate change and lead global efforts to fight it. We should continue to lead by example. Rwanda’s green landscape and archaeological sites represent not only a store of knowledge about our human past, but also score as a major asset for conservation and understanding of nature. Natural and cultural diversity is obviously our main asset and its protection requires solidarity and joint action. The dominance of machines over humanity and nature has altered environment and landscapes on a scale that is staggering and we are witnessing a real crisis that is not one of scientific principle but of wrong choice. We would like to see a green museum incorporating concepts that interpret sustainable practices that present a mode/behaviour, helping people to become conscious of their world, its limitations and how our actions affect it. This can be only possible by imposing a positive change and encouraging people to make sustainable choices in their daily lives. Now, green museum (environmentally thought practice) has to come at our rescue with a unique role to establish and promote a culture of sustainability that holds the deepest values, attitudes and actions on the environment with an equaled power and responsibility to model and teach the methods of preserving ourselves, our planet and our cultural resources. The environment can live without humans but human beings cannot live without the environment and, as a matter of fact, when we lose nature’s image we lose our life, the presence of nature is ideal to man’s self thus need to get closer in that kind of ideal partnership and to treat our environment in a more responsible way. The option of creating reserves, conservation and eco-museums in Rwanda would be more profitable in terms of increasing quality of life and needs dedicated structures as well as high quality conservation management. Let’s embrace our museums and cherish our heritage bearing in mind that the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it, and that it is impossible to develop from the outside. David Nkusi

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Why we need a 'green museum'