On Liberation Anniversary, Rwanda's Kagame Reiterates Call for Africa's Self-reliance
Xinhua| 2019-07-04 23:08:30|Editor: zh
Dancers perform during a ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rwanda's liberation in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, on July 4, 2019. Rwandan President Paul Kagame reiterated a call for Africa to be self-reliant at Thursday's ceremony. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)
KIGALI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame reiterated a call for Africa to be self-reliant at Thursday's ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rwanda's liberation.
The central African country marks Liberation Day, known as Kwibohora locally, every year on July 4, commemorating the day when the Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the liberation struggle, ended the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi that claimed over 1 million lives.
July 4, 1994, was also the day when the Rwandan Patriotic Army captured Kigali, the capital.
Kagame said Rwanda's liberation journey is profoundly linked with the wider African quest for self-determination, and African countries share the same aspirations to be free and to improve themselves to the fullest extent.
"Our continent cannot remain dependent on what happens elsewhere," he said. "Our mindset should be to rely, first of all, on ourselves and on each other."
Kagame and six other African heads of state, as well as other country leaders and senior officials, jointly witnessed a parade of Rwanda Defense Force and Rwanda National Police troops, with cheers from over 20,000 spectators.
The ceremony also featured traditional Rwandan songs, poems and dances.
Kagame, who led the liberation struggle in 1990s as the commander of RPF forces, has long been an advocate for self-reliance of Rwanda and Africa.
This year's liberation celebrations was held across the country under the theme "Together We Prosper."
A series of activities to celebrate the anniversary have been held, including a tour at key historical sites related to the liberation struggle, inauguration of socioeconomic development projects, and the premiere of a film with the liberation struggle as the background.
Dancers perform during a ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rwanda's liberation in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, on July 4, 2019. Rwandan President Paul Kagame reiterated a call for Africa to be self-reliant at Thursday's ceremony. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)
KIGALI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame reiterated a call for Africa to be self-reliant at Thursday's ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rwanda's liberation.
The central African country marks Liberation Day, known as Kwibohora locally, every year on July 4, commemorating the day when the Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the liberation struggle, ended the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi that claimed over 1 million lives.
July 4, 1994, was also the day when the Rwandan Patriotic Army captured Kigali, the capital.
Kagame said Rwanda's liberation journey is profoundly linked with the wider African quest for self-determination, and African countries share the same aspirations to be free and to improve themselves to the fullest extent.
"Our continent cannot remain dependent on what happens elsewhere," he said. "Our mindset should be to rely, first of all, on ourselves and on each other."
Kagame and six other African heads of state, as well as other country leaders and senior officials, jointly witnessed a parade of Rwanda Defense Force and Rwanda National Police troops, with cheers from over 20,000 spectators.
The ceremony also featured traditional Rwandan songs, poems and dances.
Kagame, who led the liberation struggle in 1990s as the commander of RPF forces, has long been an advocate for self-reliance of Rwanda and Africa.
This year's liberation celebrations was held across the country under the theme "Together We Prosper."
A series of activities to celebrate the anniversary have been held, including a tour at key historical sites related to the liberation struggle, inauguration of socioeconomic development projects, and the premiere of a film with the liberation struggle as the background.
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