Musanze, 10 January 2020
From the Zambian caterpillars’ sauce, the Kenyan ‘Nyama-Choma’ to the Rwandan famous ‘Runonko’ potatoes; food, drinks, social habits, art, dances and different dressing styles were among the cultural aspects showcased at the ‘Cultural Day’ at the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Command and Staff College in Musanze District.

The event was organised by 47 senior military officers from 12 African countries who are currently attending the Senior Command and Staff Course with an aim to make students fully conversant with the importance of culture by understanding the relationship between national traditions, cultures and values with security.

“Cultural diversity is indeed important to us because our community of military colleges and our allied countries from where we draw our faculty and students consist of various cultural and ethical backgrounds and as we interact with each other we are able to build bridges of trust, respect and understanding across cultures,” said Brig Gen Didas Ndahiro, the RDF Command and Staff College Commandant.

"Such events will always cement the brotherly relations of the countries on the African continent that we all come from because, as we share the diversification of our cultures, unity amongst us is strengthened," said Maj Billy Munshya of the Zambian Defence Force.

Countries represented at the RDFCSC this academic year are: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and the host; Rwanda.