By Peter Ndahiro
The Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) and HIVOS are implementing a project on “Community action to prevent and manage conflicts and human rights violation in the Rwenzori region in Uganda”. The project is supported by the European Union delegation to Uganda and is based in the Western region covering the districts of; Kasese, Ntoroko, Bundibugyo and Kamwenge.
This team of religious and cultural institutions organized a learning visit to Never Again Rwanda, aimed at enabling the representatives to learn about civil society’s role in rebuilding Rwanda after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
After a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum and to the National Unity & Reconciliation Commission, the RWECO team were welcomed by the Executive Director of Never Again Rwanda, Dr. Joseph Nkurunziza, for a discussion on how Never Again Rwanda’s work has positively influenced Rwanda’s rebuilding journey.
The RWECO team watched a short video profiling Never Again Rwanda in order to get a general overview of NAR’s work. Following the video, members of the RWECO team asked questions relating to the various programs under Never Again Rwanda’s five pillars of intervention, being specifically curious about NAR’s growth from a university platform of discussion to a regional force in peacebuilding.
The Executive Director noted that NAR’s inception was one dedicated towards providing a platform for citizens to discuss their past in order to build a better future. He added that thanks to the support of partners, NAR has been able to grow from a local peacebuilding organization to a global peacebuilding influence, impacting peace ambassadors all over the globe.
The RWECO team fielded more questions and also shared their experiences, before commending Never Again Rwanda for their work in the peacebuilding arena.
The team left the visit with a new understanding on Rwanda’s recovery process, enabling them to facilitate community actions to prevent and manage conflict and human rights violations.