By Rima Abdelkader
UNITED NATIONS, 29 July 2006, (MEDIAGLOBAL): It was only twelve years ago that Rwanda suffered from the 1994 genocide, which killed more than 1 million people.� It was the compelling and powerful story of the Oscar-nominated film “Hotel Rwanda” that presented a painful lesson on the impact of genocide.
The Special Unit for South-South Cooperation/United Nations Development Programme, the World Cultural Open, and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda are now working towards transforming Rwanda’s image of genocide into a place of “cultural energy, artistic excellence, humanitarian compassion and the unmistakable heartbeat of a global community”, by featuring a Pan-African Festival of Dance (FESPAD) in Kigali, Rwanda, from August 4-12, 2006.
At a news conference held at the United Nations in New York on the future of Rwanda, Ambassador Nsengimana of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda said, “There is a need to create a new image of Africa and Rwanda.”
Addressing the media on the challenges of transforming Rwanda’s “intangible assets of the poor into tangible assets of wealth”, Mr. Yiping Zhou, Director of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation/UNDP, said, “We cannot change the past, but together we can build a brighter future in partnership with the World Culture Open to mobilize the achievements of the African Union”.
The International Conference on Creative Economy for Development “will promote the effective use of creativity as a source of wealth, means of generating employment, and as a significant factor in poverty reduction”.
The Humanitarian Service Project will help “increase awareness of how service organizations are helping to rebuild Rwanda” whereas, the purpose of the Healing Arts Project is “to share different methods of healing arts to cultivate healthy mind, body and spirit”.
FESPAD has partnered with the World Culture Open “to provide a platform for cultural exchanges and to support harmonious co-existence by fostering mutual respect and understanding through the arts”.
Renowned musicians Randy Weston and Rwandan Performer Jean-Paul Samputu, amongst others, will perform at the Festival.
For eight days in August, FESPAD 2006 “will celebrate Pan-African and international culture, by bringing together dancers, musicians, performers, humanitarians, healing arts practitioners and peacemakers from around the continent and around the globe,” Dr. Grace Chung Lee, the Secretary-General of the WCO, explained.
She urged the international community “to make a commitment to help Rwanda come out of its nightmare, regain confidence, and aspire towards a peaceful and productive life”.
Dr. Abdelkader Abbadi, former Director of the Africa Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs, moderated the kick-off press conference.
