Musanze, 14 January 2022

Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College students (Course 10) in Nyakinama, Musanze district today celebrated the nineth Cultural Day as they showcased their respective countries’ cultures through different cuisines and cultural artifacts.

Brig Gen Didas Ndahiro, the RDF Command and Staff College Commandant said that the cultural day fosters intercultural dynamics amongst countries represented. He stressed that sustaining the college's prosperity and progress is predicated on the effective use of the talents and abilities of the college faculty and students in academic and social settings that bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The cultural day is an opportunity to exchange lifestyle norms, values and customs of countries represented at the college. 

The student representative, Lt Col Callixte Migabo said that culture is very paramount for defence forces as the doctrine of a military force is based on its historical background, the values and norms which are important aspects of a culture. He noted that cultural understanding enables defence forces to deal with contemporary security threats which are difficult to tackle by a single state in isolation. Most of the current threats demand joint effort either under regional, continental or international mechanisms.

On behalf of allied students, Maj Bervyn Gondwe from Zambia Air Force said that the friendships forged as students from different course participating countries will prove very useful in future when students take up strategic leadership roles. 

Eleven countries represented include Rwanda, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.