Youth prepare for reconciliation tour

Over 300 youth , mainly secondary and university students, members of two organisations; Aegis Students and Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP), are preparing a countrywide tour where they will engage the public in debate and motion picture presentations about peace and reconciliation. Dubbed the ‘Torch Tour’, the youth will move to various parts of the country between May and July where they will work hand-in-hand with local leaders to identify challenges to reconciliation and engage them in debates on how to solve them. According to the chief organizer of the Torch Tour, Karim Banyundo, the youth are undergoing training to equip them with the necessary skills that will facilitate their engagements with the population. “The Tour is a continuation of Walk to Remember, which was conducted last year within East Africa. However, this time the tour will only be conducted in Rwanda, with an aim of uprooting the Genocide ideology right from the grassroots,” Banyundo said. “Through the tour, we shall reach out to the population with a message of unity and reconciliation through debates, testimonies, documentaries and a few fun games.” The youth under this programme actively utilize the internet and social networking to recruit new members all over the world, as well as reach out to their members in East Africa, USA and India to inform them of current developments. Peace and Love Proclaimers and Aegis Students are supported by the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG). Ends