Rwanda invited for Commonwealth Christmas carol

WESTMINSTER - Rwanda has been invited to participate in the Commonwealth Christmas Carol service for the first time, The Sunday Times has learnt. The event that will be held at St. Martin in-the-field church at Westminster will be presided over by the Deputy Lieutenant for London and the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, who will represent the queen at the function. Nigel Mc Collum, the head of public affairs at the Royal Commonwealth society, confirmed Rwanda’s invitation and added that their intention in doing so was to educate people about the commonwealth. “Our intention for inviting Rwanda is to educate people about the Commonwealth and to show that even countries like Rwanda or Mozambique that are not former British colonies could join and are welcome,” Mc Collum said. Ignatius Mugabo, a member of the Rwanda Diaspora Investment group based in UK confirmed the development on Friday. “Yes, everything is set,” Mugabo said in an e-mail to Sunday Times yesterday. Joella Rwandanziza, a Rwandan 12 year old girl will represent Rwanda at the event which will be attended by other dignitaries including the Commonwealth High Commissioners, the Police commander for London, the Deputy Commissioner of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and many celebrities. At St. Martin in-the-field church, six children from all six corners of the world will hold candles alongside the Hon David Lammy, Minister of State for education and MP for Tottenham, North London. Rwanda, along with six other countries, has applied to join the 53-nation group and their admission will be determined at the next Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. Other countries which have so far applied to join the Commonwealth include: Madagascar, Yemen, Algeria and Sudan. Israel and Palestine have also been mentioned as potential members. Rwanda’s invitation to this historical event is an indication that the Commonwealth club of nations is warming up to welcome Rwanda into their fold. Ends