Youth take up the largest share of the global population. In Rwanda, they account for about 39% of the population, which is a significant force in the country’s efforts towards socio-economic and political transformation.

On this day, as we celebrate the role of young women and men in tackling global issues, it is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges facing the world’s youth. This year’s theme – “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages”, reminds us of the power of partnerships across generations.

As Never Again Rwanda (NAR), a peacebuilding and social justice non-governmental organization, we reiterate our commitment to facilitate intergenerational collaboration and dialogues, so that people of all ages, young and old alike, intentionally join forces to build a better world for all.

Prejudice and discrimination based on one’s age has been an increasing problem that affects young and old alike. This ageism devalues and limits the contribution of both younger and older populations to our collective community and national development.

There is need to leverage the full potential of all generations towards the attainment of effective citizen participation, participatory governance, lasting peace, societal healing and sustainable, inclusive and equitable development.

Never Again Rwanda is dedicated to amplifying the voices of youth and uplifting them as active members in their communities. We are also committed to engage both young and old people to share experiences, knowledge and lessons. This is hinged on the goal to mobilize entire communities into self-reliance by building people’s skills, leadership, peacebuilding, tolerance and confidence.

We have been facilitating intergenerational solidarity through activities that bring both the young and old. These include; spaces for peace, citizen forums, roundtable discussions, media interface dialogues and many others.

On this day, we have convened over 100 young people, decision makers, CSO representatives and many others to discuss how to challenge the “Do’s and Don’ts to enable the young generation to unleash their potential”. They will highlight the cultural and social barriers for all generations, the stereotypes between generations, the need for the older generation to listen to young people & strategies on how to give the youth an opportunity to share their ideas and to learn for the older generation.

This day is a reminder for more solidarity between the young & old to fight ageism and together build our respective communities. Intergenerational dialogue is extremely valuable and one of the fundamental principles of a peaceful society. We all have a role to play and by coming together, we can improve collaboration and communication between generations.

This grant agreement will support NAR in its institutional strengthening trajectory, as it entails a shift from project-based funding to core funding. This approach will enable NAR to further harmonize program implementation, strengthen its evidence-based advocacy endeavors, and policy influence. This is to ultimately contribute to areas such as societal healing and promoting participatory governance in Rwanda.

The signing ceremony took place at the Swedish Embassy in Kigali, witnessed by Ms. Christina Wedekull (Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden) and Dr. Nkurunziza Joseph Ryarasa (Executive Director of Never Again Rwanda), who signed the agreement on behalf of the respective parties.

About Never Again Rwanda:

Never Again Rwanda (NAR) is a peacebuilding and social justice non-governmental organization, that aims to empower Rwandans with opportunities to become active citizens through peacebuilding and development. NAR prides itself on being an organization whose core revolves around building sustainable peace on a community, national and regional level.

For more information, please contact:

Christiane Rulinda – Deputy Executive Director

Christiane.rulinda@neveragainrwanda.org

+250788386688

As the world remembers the brutality of the genocide, we stand with Rwandans globally in commemorating all the lives lost, hail the dignity of survivors, and echo our commitment to unity, reconciliation and sustainable peace in Rwanda.

Evidence gathered from our close to 20 years of experience depicts that survivors still struggle with mental health and psychological issues from witnessing the gruesome massacres while young people born after genocide also show signs of trauma. Government entities, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs and other development partners have combined efforts through holistic programs and projects to heal the invisible wounds.

At Never Again Rwanda, we established a wellness center, to deliver free psychosocial support and services. At the center, you can talk to a therapist to help you cope with anxiety or learn how to detect anxiety symptoms. Visit https://wellness.neveragainrwanda.org/ to self-evaluate your anxiety/stress level or to book an appointment. During this tough period of #Kwibuka28, we encourage you to seek help.

For the next 100 days, different institutions will hold national and community level commemoration events. We call on all Rwandans, especially youth to participate, upon which they get to learn about their history, reflect on its dire and long-term consequences and adopt strategies to make “Never Again” a reality.

To our friends outside of Rwanda, we encourage you to stand with us during this period. We also call for global solidarity in combatting genocide ideology, denial and hate speech. Take the time to educate yourself on Rwanda’s history and its trajectory as it stands as a testament of a people who have come together to reunite, rebuild and restore hope to the nation.

We all have the duty to work towards building a better, stronger and peaceful Rwanda. Remember-Unite-Renew.

Mental health challenges often come after, crises like loss, grief, conflicts and genocides among many other, yet it’s hard to predict how long the recovery process can take for each affected individual. It’s therefore vital for every citizen to be aware of their mental health state, regardless of age, past experience or social status.

In Rwanda’s post-genocide context, both the government and civil society organizations including Never Again Rwanda have made tremendous efforts to increase and improve the access and diversity of mental health services among the entire population. This is attributed to the fact that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi left Rwandans with wounds and traumas to heal for generations.

According to the 2018 Rwanda Mental Health Survey, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is eight-fold more prevalent among Genocide survivors compared to the general population (27.9% vs 3. 6%). Never Again Rwanda has been providing psychosocial support through establishment of safe spaces for peace, made up of Rwandans from diverse backgrounds, including genocide survivors, women raped during the genocide, children born out of rape, children from perpetrator families among many others. As they continuously dialogued about their painful stories, with the help of a psychotherapist, they were able to collectively begin their healing journey, a positive impact that trickled down to their families and communities.

Over the years, we have seen the members of the safe spaces regain a sense of hope for life,   decrease their desire to revenge or commit suicide, increase trust, tolerance and forgiveness of themselves and those who wronged them.

As the world has been grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns and restrictions have left many people affected socially, economically and psychologically. In 2020, we begun offering individual therapy sessions from people who experienced trauma, anxiety and depression as a result of both the COVID-19 pandemic as well as past recurring trauma.

In a bid to promote wellness and mental health at a larger scale, NAR in partnership with various peace actors have continued to organize awareness raising campaigns through TV and radio shows, social media campaigns, educational materials, and engaging various groups in dialogue. We also established an online wellness portal (https://wellness.neveragainrwanda.org/) that is open to everyone (English and Kinyarwanda)  to anonymously self-evaluate their anxiety level or request to talk to a professional should they wish to. NAR is in the process to establish a psychical mental health center that will increase access to mental health services and contribute to the ongoing process of ensuring psycho-social support is accessed by more through community-oriented approaches to healing.

In order to make mental health for all a reality it requires collective and individual efforts as well as constantly sharing information about mental health services, with emphasis on availability. As an organization devoted to promoting wellness and healing, we will continue to develop evidence-based interventions and conduct strategies for community based psychosocial initiatives with emphasis on both informal and formal psycho education regarding mental health wellbeing.

Together, we can raise awareness and eliminate inequities in mental health.

Today, we join the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day of Peace 2021, under the theme: “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world: the role of youth in promoting peaceful values.” Today, we also reiterate our commitment to peace and to equipping youth in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region, with the skills they need to enhance their potential to contribute to lasting peace in their communities.

Peacebuilding is one of the core pillars at Never Again Rwanda (NAR). Since NAR’s inception in 2002, we have been working with youth and adults under various programs and projects with the aim of preventing genocide, building peace, fostering societal healing, and managing conflicts. We do this by providing safe spaces for youth to discuss the root causes of conflict and overcome their wounds. We also equip youth with critical thinking skills, to foster empathy, appreciate diversity and develop a sense of self-responsibility. We engage young people in dialogue, debate, theater, music, drama, photo competitions, and training as well as encourage them to start up their own initiatives for peace in their communities.

Equally, through its programs, NAR builds the capacity and confidence of youth for increased participation in decision-making processes at different levels, strengthens collaboration and communication between youth and policy and decision-makers using participatory approaches. NAR facilitates youth to dialogue on their priorities and needs and peacefully communicate these to the decision-makers to inform the decisions and policies that affect their lives.

In partnership with other peace actors, we have organized a hybrid youth dialogue bringing together youth from various backgrounds, decision-makers and peace actors, to dialogue on issues affecting peace during the pandemic and jointly propose effective strategies for better recovery and for promoting peaceful values in communities. The devastating social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have reminded us that peace is a prerequisite for health, equality, and human security. The pandemic has also reminded us that recovery is a collective responsibility.

As an organization devoted to the building of peace, we commit to equipping the young generation with the tools and capacity to play a meaningful role in shaping efforts to address stereotypes, prejudice, and polarization, promote social cohesion and build inclusive and peaceful societies in their contexts.

Through different programs, Never Again Rwanda places meaningful citizen participation, democracy, and human rights at the center of all its interventions that target the community in general or youth specifically. Over the years, we have learned that achieving and sustaining peace and stability is grounded in a democratic society, where citizens are meaningfully and constructively engaged in both the development and implementation of policies as well as citizen-centered programs.

Rwanda’s post-genocide reconstruction process not only focused on unity and reconciliation but on promoting democratic values, which has seen decision-makers collaborate with citizens in a transparent and accountable manner. Also, Rwanda has placed emphasis on the participation of youth – a seat is reserved for youth in parliament, there is a Ministry of Youth and Culture, a fully functioning National Youth Council with committee structures from the national level to local government down to the village level and a National Youth Policy was adopted.

“Events that led to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi were characterized by injustices, ideology, and hate speeches, which left complex legacies. So, as a country, we know what the lack of citizen participation in a democratic manner leads to. We are therefore committed to continue working with our partners in government and the civil society to build towards prosperous societies that engage in decision-making processes.” Dr. Nkurunziza Joseph Ryarasa – Executive Director, Never Again Rwanda.  

We are committed to continue facilitating dialogues between decision-makers and citizens, particularly the youth, to increase their awareness and participation in government policies and programs. And also empower youth with critical thinking skills to be responsible citizens who can participate effectively in the construction and development of the country. 

Given the fact that the world is still combatting the spread of COVID-19, we have organized a hybrid dialogue to engage a few youths at the physical venue and others on online platforms.” The dialogue will convene youth, decision-makers, and other development partners.  Without democracy, lasting peace cannot be guaranteed.

Since Never Again Rwanda’s inception in 2002, we have prioritized youth in all our activities and
initiatives. The basic reason is because youth make up today’s society and they also have a responsibility to mold the future. All our programs and projects focus on meaningful and inclusive participation and engagement of youth as part of the key goal. We engage youth in critical thinking trainings, peace education, promotion of human rights, governance, and healing. We also encourage youth to use their talents like poetry, debate, drama, music, theatre, and football to build and promote peace. Currently, NAR has a network of youth in Rwanda and beyond, totaling to over 10,000 youth including those in our youth affiliated clubs and associations. All the youth are trained on different peacebuilding approaches given Rwanda’s post-genocide context, and they are taught tolerance and mutual respect.  In addition, NAR has created a network of youth peace ambassadors in the region and world-wide through its Peace-Building Institute.

Every year, Never Again Rwanda, National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) and other peace actors organize youth-parliamentary exchanges to discuss the role of youth in promoting peace, opportunities, and challenges. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is adding yet another layer of tragedy, NAR in partnership with NURC, alongside other peace actors, has hosted a webinar dialogue with young people. The dialogue is a platform for youth to discuss on their role in promoting peace, challenges, and opportunities as well as their approaches to engage their peers and communities to shape peace together.

On this day, we also commend the Government of Rwanda’s relentless commitment to peace in Rwanda, by establishing different post-conflict and reconciliation mechanisms, integrating peace education in the school curriculum, emphasizing women’s and youths’ role in peace building as well as collaboration with peace actors among many others.

We pledge to continue working with other partners to promote peace and support youth to be agents of peace at family, community, national and global levels.

On this day, we reflect on the Government of Rwanda’s relentless commitment to democracy, through the respect of liberties and human dignity, as well providing for a vibrant, diverse, and independent civil society. Today, we also acknowledge and renew our commitment to support  the goals of democracy and participatory governance.

Never Again Rwanda, through programs like the ‘Societal Healing and Participatory Governance for Peace in Rwanda’ and the ‘Enhancing and reinforcing Rwandan citizen participation in existing local government consultation processes and platforms project’ both jointly implemented with Interpeace,  enhances the meaningful and inclusive participation of citizens in political participation and local decision-making. Also, the recently concluded three-year Inzira Nziza project which focused on youth political participation aimed to contribute to the promotion of dialogue and democratic values through human rights based approaches.

Given the fact that the world is working towards combatting the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing, we have organized an online youth dialogue to discuss “Youth participation in democratic and political processes in Rwanda”. The dialogue will consist of a panel of four youth, streamed live on NAR’s YouTube channel and its affiliated social media platforms. This dialogue will discuss the current status of youth engagement in political and democratic processes, as well as challenges and opportunities for increased youth participation. Youth will share their different experiences related to their participation in democratic processes.

Never Again Rwanda is committed to continue providing youth with opportunities and platforms to engage in democratic and political processes as a means of empowering them to constructively participate in decision-making processes.

We are founded on a vision to promote and protect democracy, alongside human rights and the rule of law. We believe that without democracy, lasting peace cannot be guaranteed.