Kigali Youth Festival: Celebrating the Heroic Spirit of Rwandan Youth
Kigali, Rwanda, January 5, 2024 –The City of Kigali, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Arts, Rwanda (MINIYOUTH), and other partners, organized the Kigali Youth Festival under the theme “Heroic in Youth, Our Value.” Around 2,600 young people from all over the city of Kigali gathered at the IPRC Kigali Stadium, where the Kigali Youth Festival was launched.
The forum, which will run until January 31, will feature activities including a football tournament, a special UMUGANDA, dance and drawing competition, a youth exhibition, and more.
During his speech, the Minister of Youth and Arts, Rwanda, Dr. Abdallah UTUMATWISHIMA, requested the youth to have goals and work hard this year. He asked them to be characterized by Rwanda’s heroes’ values, to have good behavior, and to cooperate with others to build the Rwanda we want.
He said, “This year there are many activities in which we are ready to cooperate with the youth, including the parliamentary elections and the Republican presidential elections. On the day you will be invited to participate, we will come in large numbers. And we continue to prioritize the program against bad habits, since it is the first step toward becoming a hero.”
Dr. Abdallah also thanked the youth for participating in government activities and for being interested in creating new things, assuring them that programs aimed at promoting the arts will be added to the existing ones.
“Just as we used to have Youth Connect, we are also thinking of having Art Connect so that we can see how we can get artists different awards,” he added.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF), Lt Col Simon KABERA, highlighted in his speech the dedication and heroics of the youth who liberated Rwanda and stopped the Genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. He told them to be characterized by brave deeds and protect their achievements.
He said, “If our ancestors were cowards, Rwanda would not exist because the country was developed and expanded by them. “They played a role in defending this country, starting it, and improving the country’s economy, but in 1959 things changed. Until 1987, the RPF came into being. After all the ways were rejected, in 1990, RPA started the battle for the liberation of the country.”
The opening ceremony of the Kigali Youth Festival ended with a concert where artist Chriss Eazy entertained the youth with his hit songs, including Bana, Basi sori, Izina, and more.
