Remarks by
Anastase Shyaka
Chief Executive Officer
Rwanda Governance Board

Response by
Gretchen Birkle
Africa Regional Director
International Republican Institute

Moderated by
J. Peter Pham
Director, Africa Center   
Atlantic Council

Twenty years after the genocide, a process of reconciliation and redevelopment has helped Rwandans to transcend many of the divisions that tore their nation apart, but many challenges remain for this small, densely-populated nation. The process of reconciliation is today embodied by government initiatives intended to erase the old colonial construct of separate “Hutu” and “Tutsi” ethnic identities. The Ndi Umunyarwanda (roughly translated to “I am Rwandan”) program is designed to help Rwandan youth openly discuss their history and heal the wounds of genocide. It aims to build a uniquely Rwandan national identity and harness a shared spirit to challenge the forces that tore the country apart during the genocide.

Join the Atlantic Council and the International Republican Institute as we discuss the Rwandan’s government’s often-controversial efforts to promote good governance and civic harmony in a country still devastated by the legacy of violent conflict.