Miss Rwanda, artistes honour youth genocide victims

When the country sets out to remember the 1994 Genocide victims, they usually do not separate the victims by gender or age group. However, this time around the Ministry of Youths and ICT and Miss Rwanda 2012 in partnership with National Youth Council, decided to remember their fellow youth killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsegimana, said initially as the ministry, they were going to remember the staff that died then. On the eve of the national commemoration, Miss Rwanda, Aurore Mutesi came with a proposal to engage all the youth in the country.“I thought it was a good proposal and inspirational. Being our first time, I am happy to have such a turn up because we didn’t have a lot of time to organise for the day,” he said. Even after two hours after the event started, more were still flocking in. All the stadium seats were filled up and others resorted to standing until the function came to an end at 10:00p.m. Before heading to Peti Stade in Remera, the youth, led by the Minister and Miss Rwanda, went to the Gisozi Memorial Centre to pay tribute to the Genocide victims by laying a wreath on the mass grave. At the stadium, different activities were held in remembrance. First the Minister, Miss Rwanda and the Kigali City Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba lit the burning flame. Amidst the burning candles in the stadium as the only source of light, poems were recited and different artists performed traditional and contemporary music. The artists who performed include, Massamba, Mariya Yohana, Nyamitari, Jean Paul Samputu, Uncle Austin, Tom Close, and Skizzy. A short documentary was aired where the youth who survived the genocide narrate their experiences and how they have been able to move on. While addressing hundreds of youths gathered at the stadium, Mutesi said, “The eyes of the nation are on us, so we have to put in a lot of energy in developing the country.”As the back bone of the country, Nsengimana agreed with Mutesi and encouraged the youth to learn from history and take responsibility to build the country. The commemoration vigil night dubbed, Ijoro ryo Kwibuka was one of the activities held in the commemoration week which started on Sunday 6, April. The Minister said this won’t be the first and last time that the youth gather to remember their fellows.

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Miss Rwanda, artistes honour youth genocide victims