On Sunday, 12 May 2019, Never Again Rwanda hosted the local public speaking and exchange forum at Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare. The exchange, which was organized in partnership with GIZ, brought together at least 105 participants to include; students from 23 secondary schools in Gisagara, Huye and Nyamagabe districts, teachers, local partner organizations, local leaders and the media. It was held under the theme “Our diversity; our opportunity! How can I use my creativity and various ways of communication to promote peace in my daily life?” (“Ubudasa bwacu, Amahirwe yacu. Ni gute nahanga udushya ndetse n’uburyo bunyuranye bwo guharanira amahoro mu buzima bwa buri munsi?”)
Through the public speaking and exchange event, youth discussed issues deterring peace processes in their communities and proposed solutions. Additionally, youth shared how students can use diversity as an opportunity in instances where it is normally overlooked or misunderstood. According to the youth, making an opportunity out of diversity includes embracing people from disadvantaged backgrounds, different faith, disabled people, women, etc.
In his opening address, Eric Mahoro, Deputy Executive Director at Never Again Rwanda said that public speaking and exchange serves as an avenue for youth to discuss their role in creating change and promoting peace in their families, schools, and communities. He further noted that youth are characterized by diversity based on gender, ethnicity, culture, religion and social opportunities; thus calling them to look at their differences as an opportunity to create change in their respective societies. He added “Some of us don’t openly discuss diversity in order to avoid opening the wounds caused by a traumatic past. This dialogue, therefore, reminds us that our diversity can also be the opportunity to heal and reconcile societies”.
The representative of GIZ, Jean Damascène Mbonigaba said that youth participation in Peacebuilding is an untapped potential that should be harnessed to ensure that youth have skills and confidence they need to become agents of change.
While Speaking on behalf of Huye District, the Advisor to the executive committee, Joseph Kagabo commended NAR for contributing to the foundations of peaceful societies while urging youth to think critically, tolerate differences, exchange ideas, talk to elders, read and write books.
“The value of our diversity was devastated many years ago whereby Rwandans failed to build their country across the differences which led to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. I call upon the youth to think critically about our past and contribute to building peaceful societies.”
Students presented their speeches, which tackled the benefits of diversity in the educational environment and also, shared how their diversity can be an opportunity to create crucial changes in their schools and communities. They used the following analogies:
“Since we come from different backgrounds, some students are good in mathematics and others in languages, when these people use their differences to work together, they all win and achieve their goals.”
“In choirs, people use different vocal tones including Soprano, Tenor, Bass, etc. Bringing together diverse tones makes harmonious and melodious songs.”
This was the 8th edition of the Public speaking and exchange project, which is implemented by a group of partners in equal collaboration: Ejo Youth Echo, Never Again Rwanda, and Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle.