First ever cultural festival dubbed ‘Rwanda Iwacu Cultural Festival’ promises to attract culture enthusiasts on its maiden edition scheduled for August 2-4 at ULK main campus in Gisozi, Kigali. The event will coincide with the 2024 Umuganura Day, and will target mainly the young people, especially those at university and high school, according to Itara Productions, the event company organising the festival. This is a long-term culture event but, for the first edition, we want to target young Rwandans, which is why we have called it a ‘university edition’, said Fisca Jean Paul Habimana the brains behind the festival. Habimana, a self-proclaimed 'Rwandan culture activist,' noted that the idea behind the festival was inspired by his fear for the risk of a generation that knows little about its culture. The focus is on the youth, specifically at university and high school. The young generation needs to know their culture to really know who they are. I really love my culture and I have been involved in promoting it for the last 10 years, Habimana observed, before crying out that, after seeing everyone else fold their hands, I stepped in to fill that void, he added. During the festival, which is aimed at promoting the Rwandan culture and traditions, there will be performances by participating universities and high schools as well as foreign communities. The main event will feature Umuganura 2024 celebrations, traditional dance showcases, book readings and folklore tales, fashion exhibitions, traditional cuisine tastings and educationalist (Life Time-Awarding Ceremony). Habimana noted that, We are going to have ‘Inyambo’ cows which most of our youth have never seen in real life. Here they will be able to see, touch and take photos with them. The cows will be provided by the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), who are also partners in the festival. Participants of the maiden festival include University of Rwanda, Mount Kigali University, University of Kigali, IPRC, UNILAK as well as Lycée de Kigali and Lycée Notre Dame de Citeaux. According to the organizers, there will be exhibitions by other communities living in Rwanda, including South Sudanese, Burundians and Pakistanis. In addition to the main event, there will also be interactive workshops as well as diversity cultural exhibition, among them, traditional craft, drumming and dance, Kinyarwanda classes for internationals as well as cultural exchange sessions with expats and foreign students. We have to explore our culture, and we also need to promote Kinyarwanda among the young people. It hurts when you find families where kids speak foreign languages fluently but don't know Kinyarwanda, Habimana observed. The Rwanda Iwacu Cultural Festival aims to celebrate and promote Rwanda's rich cultural heritage through education, while fostering social cohesion, cultural exchange and sustainable social behavior during Umuganura weekend.
