Rwandans in Diaspora mark July 4

Rwandans in different parts of the world joined their compatriots back home to celebrate the 19th Liberation Day.In the Netherlands, at the Rwandan embassy based in The Hague, an audience of over 250 Rwandans, diplomats and friends of Rwanda gathered to mark the day.The ambassador to the Netherlands, Jean Pierre Karabaranga, told the audience that the 19th celebration of the Liberation Day was particularly a special day for Rwandans to acknowledge some of the great strides and achievements registered over the last 19 years, but also to recognise with humility that a lot more remains to be done, according to a statement from the embassy. He emphasised that Rwanda had turned the corner and shifted gears from the struggle of liberation, to one of holistic and sustainable development.In Darfur, Sudan, where Rwanda maintains over 3,200 peacekeepers, a similar ceremony attracted guests from the Military, Police and Civilian components of the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), local communities and other well-wishers at the Rwandan Battalion compound (RWANBATT 37), Super Camp, in El Fasher. In his speech, the RWANBATT Contingent Commander Col. Ludovik Mugisha reminisced about the events leading to Independence of Rwanda and used the occasion to pay a glowing tribute to those who lost their lives during the liberation struggle. He noted that despite the achievements attained since the liberation, the country still faced challenges and assured that ‘the country and people of Rwanda will prevail. Mugisha pledged the country’s continued commitment to global efforts to bring peace to the world, noting that their presence in Darfur was a testament to that. UNAMID Police Chief of Staff, Cyprian Gatete, extended a special welcome to the audience and said that the “liberation was about rescuing Rwandans from a bad leadership that fostered and promoted hatred, sectarianism and genocidal ideology – culminating in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.” In the United States, Rwandans living in the Metropolitan area of Washington D.C., along with Friends of Rwanda met at an exclusive park located in the nation’s capital to mark the day, according to a statement from the Rwandan embassy in Washington.At the event, the Diaspora members took the opportunity to celebrate “the extraordinary transformation through which Rwanda has undergone – from a country left in the ashes of the genocide to an economic powerhouse, a land of opportunity, peace and stability.” Rwandans there assembled to mark the anniversary and to celebrate thank the men and women boots who lost their livelihood,” reads a statement from the embassy in Washington DC.Participants also honoured the liberation with a “walk to remember” throughout the parkIn her remarks at the event, Rwandan ambassador to the US, Mathilde Mukantabana, reminded the Diaspora that the liberation of Rwanda should be “cherished, safeguarded and preserved.” “The liberation of Rwanda was not only physical but also moral, spiritual and psychological,” Mukantabana said. Elders who were present in the event encouraged the youth to kindle a flame of desire to embrace their heritage, motivate their involvement and to ensure a continuation of principles that lay the foundations of the liberated Rwanda.Similarly, the youth renewed their commitment to standing tall with an invigorated spirit of hard work and determination and to uphold the legacy of those who liberated the country.

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Rwandans in Diaspora mark July 4