Kizito uses music to promote peace, reconciliation

HIS vision is to continue promoting peace reconciliation and educating Rwandan youth to learn music that is informative and educative.Under his foundation Kizito Mihigo for Peace-KMP, the singer-songwriter and peace and reconciliation activist, uses his musical abilities to help spread a positive message. Kizito Migiho, a famous local artiste is a common face in secondary schools and prisons as an ambassador of peace.“Our vision is to focus on promoting peace and reconciliation among Rwandans. That is why we are currently performing in schools and prisons,” said Mihigo.Within a period of one year, KMP has staged a series of live performances, sketches and poetry in various schools and prisons throughout the country to promote peace and reconciliation. The foundation works in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Culture, Rwanda Correctional Services. Other international partners include World Vision and the U.S. Embassy.In partnership with the U.S. Embassy the recent performance was held last month in western province at Gisenyi cultural center. Similar events were held in partnership with World Vision involving over 2,000 students from five secondary schools in Bicumbi district.“With the support from my fans, I realised it was significant to create the foundation that focuses on promoting peace building and reconciliation after the genocide,” explained Mihigo, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide.He said the same event is scheduled for November 27 in Kibeho, Southern Province. Mihigo was born Saturday, July 25th, 1981 in Kibeho, a sector of Nyaruguru district, in the former Gikongoro province, currently located in the Southern Province. Mihigo grew up in a Catholic educational environment. At the age of 9, he began to compose small songs, and five years later, when he was a secondary school student in the (Petit Seminaire de Butare) he became the most popular liturgical organist composer in the Catholic Church of Rwanda.One year after the Genocide, Mihigo composed hundreds of liturgical compositions which were rapidly picked in several parishes in the country. Some of his most popular songs include Twanze gutoberwa Amateka, Turi abana bu Rwanda and Mwungeri Wintama.In 2011, Imbuto Foundation awarded Mihigo the prize of Young Rwandan Archivers- CYRWA, in recognition of his artistic activities to promote peace and reconciliation.

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Kizito uses music to promote peace, reconciliation