- Launching of the Handbook“The New Rwanda 2:Successes and Challenges on the Ground” by Sondra Myers(Press Release)
The New Rwanda Handbooks 1 & 2 aim to foster the spirit and practice of discussion among citizens.They are to be used at home, in schools, universities, ngos and government agencies. Promoting discussion among citizens is an effective approach to strengthening democracy.
The first handbook,“The New Rwanda: Prosperity and the Public Good”, was endorsed by H.E President Kagame who also requested a translation into Kinyarwanda, which was done. The book features articles about the importance of the citizen in making a democracy work. It has been used in civic education lectures in colleges, in debate competitions in secondary schoolsand was used as a foundation for conversations on current issues in roundtables and through the media. The book was also sent via The Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Rwandan embassies throughout the world and was given to every Rwandan Member of Parliament.
The second handbook, “The New Rwanda 2: Successes and Challenges on the Ground” includes a number of examples of programs and projects that define the new Rwanda, including The Rwanda Library Services, Carnegie Mellon graduate program, progress in medical care and education, and reflections on the new Rwanda by citizens and foreigners with a special section on young voices. Stephen Kinzer, the author of A Thousand Hills commented on the book, “This sparkling introduction to today’s Rwanda is a fine way to begin understanding what is unfolding in that remarkable country.”
Sondra Myers, the editor, who is a special friend to Rwanda, is the Senior Fellow for International, Civic and Cultural Projects and Director of its Schemel Forum, a not-for-credit continuing education for enrichment program, University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. In October 2011, Myers was appointed by US President Barack Obama to serve on the Commission for Presidential Scholars. She has also received appointments from two other US Presidents: to serve on the US Commission of Fine Arts by President Jimmy Carter and to serve as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities by President Bill Clinton.
Sondra is in Rwanda for the 9th time to launch her 2nd handbook, “The New Rwanda 2: Successes and Challenges on the Ground”. The book launch is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and the Rwanda Library Services and will take place on Friday 25th,July 2014 at 4pm at the Rwanda Library Services conference room. The public is invited.
