Lunch time ZOOM meeting - Rwanda High Commission

On Thursday 11th November 2021 President Brian Johnson. took the chair as he welcomed 18 Rotarians, Joseph Kabakeza, and his friends Fred A, and Johnson Rwigona to this lunch time ZOOM meeting.

There were 5 apologies for nonattendance.

This week our speaker was Mr Joseph Kabakeza. First Counsellor from the Rwanda High Commission who spoke passionately about his country. Rwanda is a is a landlocked country situated in central Africa, bordered to the North by Uganda, to the East by Tanzania, to the South by Burundi and to the West by the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda’s total area is Km2 26,338, with a population density estimated to be 445 people per km. Also known as ’The Land of a Thousand Hills’, Rwanda has five volcanoes, 23 lakes and numerous rivers, some forming the source of the River Nile. The country lies 75 miles south of the equator in the Tropic of Capricorn, 880 miles ’as the crow flies’ west of the Indian Ocean and 1,250 miles east of the Atlantic Ocean - literally in the heart of Africa. The Altitude ranges from 1000m to 4500m above the sea level. Rwanda is bordered by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Rwanda has two rainy seasons, March – May and October – November, with an average rainfall of 110-200 mm per month. The average Temperature ranges from 24.6 to 27.6ºc, with the Hottest months being August, and September. The Main water bodies are Lake Kivu, Lake Muhazi, Lake Ihema, Lake Bulera, Lake Ruhondo, Lake Mugesera. Rwanda's Vegetation ranges from dense equatorial forest in the north-west of the country to tropical savannah in the east. Main National Parks/Animal Reserves are Akagera, Volcanoes and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks. In Rwanda the great animals of the wild are protected from poachers and roam free in the vast national parks. The Volcanoes National Park in the Virunga volcanic mountains with its high-altitude forests is world famous for mountain gorillas - timid and passive family oriented giants. The Park is teeming with wildlife both large and small, while Lake Kivu to the west offers beautiful beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of islands.

With an estimated total population of 12.3 million people, Rwanda is a relatively young country.  50 percent of the Rwandan population is under 20 years old, with the median age standing at 22.7 years old. Rwandans share cultural values notably unity, patriotism, social cohesion, resilience, hard work among others, with Kinyarwanda being the common language, spoken in all parts the country. Other official languages are English, French and Kiswahili. 

The country's rich culture has become as a source of inspiration to craft some unconventional, home-grown solutions to address the challenges and the consequences of the 1994 Genocide with over one million Rwandans were brutally killed in 100 days during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. The worst Genocide of the 20th century was prepared and implemented by the genocidal regime which trained Interahamwe militia and extremist Hutus to kill Tutsis and Hutus opposed to the killing using machetes, clubs, spears and other traditional weapons, with the full support of government security forces. Some of the victims were abandoned in the hands of the killers by the United Nations Peace Keeping forces, demonstrating a failure of the International community despite the "Never Again" pledge adopted in 1945. Rwandans commemorate the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi on April 7 which was also adopted by the United Nations as the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide Against the Tutsi. These include among others, Umuganda (Community work), Imihigo (Performance contracts), Gacaca [traditional] courts, Abunzi. Umuganura or harvest day remains the country's largest festivity where Rwandans from all corners of the country meet to celebrate achievements in different sectors and recommit to doubling effort to achieve more. Music and dance make an integral part of Rwandan ceremonies, with Umushayayo and Intore dances having won the hearts of cultural performance lovers.Rwandan artcrafts display high level of skills and creativity in the country of thousand hills, with Agaseke or handwoven basket having won international acclaim. Imigongo pattern and Rwanda's growing fashion industry have also become iconic of the Made in Rwanda brand.

Vote of thanks to be given by Ewen Macdonald.

Geoff Sampson mentioned Will Wishart and his wife took 141 Shoe Boxes for the collection for Christmas up to Perth yesterday 10th of November. Rimbleton Primary School had been fantastic in the support of this scheme as to date they alone supported by staff, parents, families and children had returned 92.

Wilna Roger mentioned that the Peace Walk (which due to COVID has been restricted) went ahead yesterday 10th November at the War memorial, opposite the KINO cinema, where our President Brian Johnson and representatives from the three High Schools had laid white wreaths being a symbol of Peace,

Anne Sampson spoke about the Crocus planting and a request which had been received from Southwood Primary and the planting which would take place at Glenwood High next week/

The Scottish Evening on the evening of the 25th of November is going ahead with a fiddler, Connor Pratt and friends from the Black Watch band and the singers from the Vintage afternoon tea.  Seats are available if you are interested in attending,

This coming week Thursday 11th November is a lunch time meeting with a meal at Gilvenbank Hotel commencing at 1pm,

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome.