{"id":55114,"date":"2025-08-04T16:18:45","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/belgium-rwandans-celebrate-umuganura-festival-in-bruges-photos\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T17:09:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T17:09:38","slug":"belgium-rwandans-celebrate-umuganura-festival-in-bruges-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/belgium-rwandans-celebrate-umuganura-festival-in-bruges-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Belgium: Rwandans celebrate Umuganura Festival in Bruges (PHOTOS)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In her opening remarks, Yvette Umutangana, the event\u2019s main organizer, expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the celebration and those who showed up early to participate in Umuganda.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we engage in Umuganda, some people may wonder why we do it,\u201d she said. \u201cBut this is an act that reflects who we are, our core values, and our origins. It\u2019s a way to promote our culture and our country, and to show that Rwanda is among the cleanest nations in Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Umutangana noted that this year\u2019s Umuganura was particularly unique, taking place amid tense diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Belgium, which have led to a pause in official cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite these challenges, we are here as Rwandans to uphold unity and continue being good ambassadors of our country, both here in Belgium and beyond,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She encouraged the Rwandan community to strive for progress and not just come together for the sake of celebration or to enjoy familiar food and traditional dress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s aim to gather again next year, but this time to celebrate tangible achievements,\u201d she urged.<\/p>\n<p>Ernest Gakuba, president of DRB-Rugari-Belgique, emphasized the importance of this year\u2019s theme: \u201cUmuganura: A Source of Unity and Foundation for Self-Reliance.\u201d He reminded attendees that unity is the foundation of national strength.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s also a day to thank Rwanda\u2019s God for the harvest, to reflect on areas where we\u2019ve fallen short, and to correct them. It\u2019s a time to appreciate every Rwandan who has contributed to their own development and the growth of our nation as a whole,\u201d Gakuba said.<\/p>\n<p>He added that Rwandans in the diaspora, particularly in Belgium, must come together in these challenging diplomatic times and combine their efforts without reservation.<\/p>\n<p>Gakuba warned that if Rwandans abroad fail to work in unity, they risk losing their collective value and progress. He urged the community to focus on self-empowerment and resilience, calling on all Rwandans to embrace the traditional belief that \u201cwork is the foundation of life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUmuganura should push us to ask ourselves: \u2018What am I doing for my country?\u2019 This day should not only be about celebrating achievements, but also about safeguarding them, reinforcing our unity, and always remembering our homeland in everything we do,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The celebration also featured cultural games and storytelling for children in both Dutch and Kinyarwanda, aiming to foster love for both languages in a way that respects Rwandan heritage.<\/p>\n<p>Oscar Gahutu delivered a special presentation on the historical significance of Umuganura in pre-colonial Rwanda, highlighting how the tradition was disrupted by colonial powers but later restored by Rwanda\u2019s current leadership.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe road ahead is still long, but what we\u2019ve achieved is worth preserving,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must teach and pass it on to our youth.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The day also included practical activities for children, such as sweeping and cleaning, to introduce them to traditional household roles and responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p>As the event continued, children were served milk, attendees enjoyed traditional Rwandan dishes, and the atmosphere was filled with traditional songs, dances, and shared joy \u2014 all in true Rwandan spirit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91969\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/1-304.jpg\" alt=\"Gakuba warned that if Rwandans abroad fail to work in unity, they risk losing their shared values and progress. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91970\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/2-276.jpg\" alt=\"Yvette Umutangana, the event\u2019s main organizer, expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the celebration and those who showed up early to participate in Umuganda.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91971\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/abana.jpg\" alt=\"Children were addressed in both Dutch and Kinyarwanda, and were told short stories rooted in Rwandan culture.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91972\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/anm.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91973\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/at-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91974\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/cate.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91975\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/bae.jpg\" alt=\"Children were served milk\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91976\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/chi-6.jpg\" alt=\"As part of the Umuganura Day celebrations, children were given a central role to help instill in them a deep understanding of Rwandan cultural values from an early age.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91977\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/da-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91978\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/daaa.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91979\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/df-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91980\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/dfreee.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91981\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/edu.jpg\" alt=\"The day also included practical activities for children, such as sweeping and cleaning, to introduce them to traditional household roles and responsibilities.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91982\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ff-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91983\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/fi.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91984\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/foo.jpg\" alt=\"Attendees enjoyed traditional Rwandan dishes\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91985\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/g-21.jpg\" alt=\"Oscar Gahutu delivered a special presentation on the historical significance of Umuganura in pre-colonial Rwanda. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91986\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gan.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91987\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gik.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91988\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gor.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91989\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gtr-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91990\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ig-2.jpg\" alt=\"The Umuganura celebration held in Bruges was led in both Kinyarwanda and Dutch.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91991\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/k-33.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91992\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/kli.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91993\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/m-26.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91994\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/mm-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91995\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/naa.jpg\" alt=\"The atmosphere was filled with traditional songs, dances, and shared joy, all in true Rwandan spirit.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91996\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/naw.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91997\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nb-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91998\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nba.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-91999\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nbo-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92000\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nko-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92001\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nn-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92002\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/nu-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92003\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/oooo-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92004\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ookl.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92005\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/pe-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92006\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/piungg.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92007\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/poil.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92008\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/pp-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92009\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ppt.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92010\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ra-5.jpg\" alt=\"Ernest Gakuba, President of DRB-Rugari Belgium, and Yvette Umutangana, the coordinator of the Umuganura event in Bruges, were among the participants in the Umuganura Day celebration.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92011\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/re-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92012\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/st-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92013\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/rwa-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92014\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/swee.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92015\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/t-25.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92016\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ta-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92017\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/to-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92018\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/u-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92019\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/z-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92020\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/vc-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92021\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/zaaa.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92022\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/zi.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92023\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/zuu.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>{{Community work }}<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92025\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ok-25.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92026\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/be-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92027\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/pou.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92028\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/s-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92029\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/ss-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-92030\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/sss-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>karirima@igihe.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rwandans living in the northwest region of Belgium and its surroundings gathered on August 2, 2025, in Bruges to celebrate Umuganura, Rwanda\u2019s traditional thanksgiving festival. The event, which has become an annual tradition, began with a Umuganda (community work) activity in the coastal city of Zeebrugge, part of the Bruges municipality, located on the North Sea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":2000092024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[269],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-karirima-aimable-ngarambe"],"bylines":[{"id":269,"name":"Karirima Aimable Ngarambe","slug":"karirima-aimable-ngarambe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"contributors":[{"id":269,"name":"Karirima Aimable Ngarambe","slug":"karirima-aimable-ngarambe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"featured_image":{"id":2000092024,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/re.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000092024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55114"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=55114"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=55114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}