President Paul Kagame has emphasised the importance of culture, saying it is the foundation of the family and the nation. He was speaking on Saturday, November 12, during a gala dinner of the 15th forum of the Unity Club, an association that brings together members of cabinet - former and present, their spouses, and other top government officials, with a purpose of promoting unity and contributing to the socio-economic development of the country. Addressing the officials that turned up for the event, he gave a somewhat lecture about the structure of the human society and how it begins with an individual person, then the family, all the way to the nation. He stressed the significance of the family, saying it “builds, nurtures, and grows” the nation. He added that before governments, nations or politics existed, families and people did, and thus new ideas that keep coming up should not change people’s nature and culture. “Morals and culture are the foundation of families and nations,” he said. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, First Lady Jeannette Kagame rallied members of the Unity Club to continue fostering “Rwandanness” as an identity, not a mere nationality. She issued a reminder to the dignitaries that attended the first session of the forum that they have a responsibility of continuing to build ‘Rwandanness’ as “an identity, not just a mere nationality.” She noted that as the world continues to become a global village, people are required to protect the uniqueness of their respective countries so that it does not get lost. “It is good to learn some things from others, because our culture grows. However, it should remain as our identity,” she noted. The First Lady called upon leaders and parents to make an effort to pass Rwandan culture and values onto the younger generations as an inheritance. She thanked the members of the club for having accepted “the calling to build the unity of Rwandans,” as she pointed out some of the activities that the club has done, for example sensitising people about their Rwandan identity, as well as solving problems for needy people like the elderly genocide survivors.
