Peace-building conference ends on a high in Kigali

KIGALI - The youth that participated in the just-concluded African Great Lakes region Peace-Building Institute (PBI) conference held in Kigali, Rwanda were lauded by the facilitators for one attribute, passion for good governance and visionary leadership.

The two-week session organised by Never Again Rwanda (NAR), a human rights and peace-building organization based in Kigali, was both insightful and gripping.

With the searing political atmosphere and conflicts in the Great Lakes Region countries, one wonders if the region will ever be unscathed, no conflicts, no nothing, just peace. Maybe it can be achieved, maybe not.

But first thing that strikes a foreigner strolling Kigali the first time is what Rwandans did to move on peacefully from the genocide committed against the Tutsi, 22 years ago. Such and many more lessons are what 20 or so selected youth from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Burundi and Rwanda found out during the intense two weeks of PBI training, which was in its 13th edition.

One of the facilitators conducting a session

Discussions, facilitated by NAR's specialists and researchers in conflict management, rode on the theme; "What Can Rwanda Teach The World?" In it, participants were taken through a detailed phase of the genocide against the Tutsi that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

It was clear most of them were not aware the 1994 genocide was the apex of a long time conflict which started brewing right after the First World War when Belgians took control of Rwanda from the Germans, and implemented a "divide and rule" strategy by building some alliances with Tutsi families.

Divisions deepened in the 1930s when ethnic labeling became mandatory on identity cards.

From that time through 1959 when Hutu extremists initiated a campaign against the Tutsi known as the 1959 revolution to 1994 sparked off by the death of President Juvenal Habyarimana whose plane downed by unknown shooters; the genocide was bound to happen.

The sessions were captivating and touched on a number of emotions, especially when participants visited Kigali Genocide Memorial and Murambi Genocide Memorial Centre.

NAR founders argue that the youth at the time were manipulated and fought a war they shouldn't have fought. Nothing different with today's youth. It's them mostly at the frontline of so many violent acts.

A guide at Murambi memorial site conducting a session

NAR's aim with PBI, started in 2008, is to empower and train youth across the region to become community watchdogs and critical thinkers responsible enough to promote unity in their countries and communities. On his part, one of NAR's founders, Albert Nzamukwereka, sees it powerful drawing youth across the region to learn and share knowledge ofR wanda's dark past.

"It is always good to see young people travel long distances to come here [Rwanda] to learn. This knowledge will give us visionary leaders in future," he said.

In a separate interview, Dr. Joseph Nkurunziza, also a founder and facilitator, opened up on the ambitions NAR is nursing on PBI. "In a few years to come, we want to make PBI an institute of peace that will offer certificates, diplomas and degrees," he said. "There is no reason why we shouldn't have that kind of institute here. The youth need to be empowered on these matters."

PBI participants also visited policy makers at the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and Rwanda Governance Board to understand strategies undertaken to promote sustainable development post-genocide.

Those sessions were the exact icing on the cake, for they offered answers on how swiftly Rwandans moved on after a terrible past.

The training ended on a high Friday evening.

Participants at the mass graves of Murambi memorial genocide centre

The two-week session was organised by Never Again Rwanda (NAR)