{{Author Sondra Myers is in Rwanda where she is meeting with several individuals, organisations and institutions to compile data for her new book highlighting the country’s enviable progress and the acruing challenges.}}
The book will cover components especially; civic responsibilities, Democracy and good governance among others. After publication It will be offered freely to individuals, Organisations and institutions.
This is her Eighth visit to Rwanda, a place she says has caught her attention more than several destinations around the world she has been to.
Having interucted with many people about Rwanda, she says she has noticed and felt a dynamic energy that is persuasive in Rwanda and this according to her will be reflected in the new book featuring stories of significant successes on ground achieved in the past five years but also presenting challenges that still exist.
The book will also feature Kigali Public Library which she chose because of its transformative potential and that it exemplifies both successes and challenges.
According to Sondra Myers, Rwanda needs to scale up the reading culture to enable the young generation leap into the 21st century and become part of the global community without eliminating Rwandan cultural values.
Other success stories to be featured in the book will include components such as Education, Information and communication technology,Business, Civic and cultural Life.
Sondra Myers envisages that the book will be a useful tool for rwandans and perhaps other countries in Africa and beyond demonstrating what people can do who choose and insist upon a future that is committed to both prosperity and public good, who are fiercely independent and embracing a constructive,mutually respective interdependence.
In her book she will explore the fact that Rwandans have taken the ownership of the heroic project of creating a new Rwanda, artfully blending tradition and innovation.Thus will present specific projects and trends and demonstrate how they are linked in harmonious partnership ensuring political economic and civic Justice.
The author argues that Democracy does not run on automated pilot but requires the will and skills of informed and engaged citizens that assume responsibility for the public good.
She also notes one is not born with civic sensibilities, they need to be learned. They are based on trust and hope that efforts and actions of citizens will be respected and validated.
The book will also accomodate presentations from local Authors including; Meilleur Murindabigwi (experince in business), Edward Kalisa, Ntidendereza William, Bishop Rucyahana John,Chizka Ezeanya among others.
Journalism and media have been alocated an entire chapter . The Voices of Media practitioners will feature in this chapter since Journalists and media are an important and integral component for the realisation and transformation of society.
During her stay, Sondra Myers officiate at a seminar on post-genocide psychological disorders. The discussion will include reports from Rwandan mental health experts and guest psychiatrist Laszlo Gyulai, from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. focusing on the effective treatment of people suffering from these disorders.
Other books published by Sondra Myers include; Democracy Reader, Democracy is a discussion: Civic Engagement in Old and New Democracies, The Interdependence Handbook, The pluralist Paradigm and the New Rwanda: Prosperity and the Public Good.
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