By Eric Birori
Never Again Rwanda joined the world in celebrating the International Youth Day under the theme “Youth Building Peace” NAR adopted its theme for the day’s celebration “ the role of youth in building peace in their communities” reiterated Dr Joseph Nkurunziza, Country Director of Never Again Rwanda.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr Joseph Nkurunziza called upon youth to become active in their communities using a significant testimony of Never Again Rwanda started by young people in different challenges.
“We had different people who listened to us, shaped our ideas and their guidance helped us. Young people need to engage themselves in various initiatives and share their ideas. Our message to young people is that they need to build peace in avoiding anything that would create absence of peace, that why we engage them in constructive dialogue and building initiatives that help them so that they can be able to have a spirit of understanding diversity” he added.
During a panel discussion, young entrepreneurs asserted that in order for you to start a business you start by developing an idea of what kind of innovation you would like to implement, research, networking and knowing as much as you can about the market.
Dominique Uwase Alonga, founder of Imagine We, noted that her organization aims to improve literature in Rwanda, tackling different parts of the problem, such as insufficiency of Books, non-existent reading culture, few publishing houses among others.
Uwase argues that the best way to boost opportunities for our youth is by empowering them to discover their potentials and value their talents and abilities to innovate and find solutions within themselves.
“Young people should overcome the fear and maximize their full potential in building the strong generation that will help community to reach sustainable peace”
Mugabo Robert, a participant added “We have to examine our self, overcome negativity and making the right choice and then choose an idea that will address a need in your community”.
The United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day in order to empower youth to become agents of change, young people’s inclusion in the peace and security agenda and in society more broadly, is key to building and sustaining peace.