Over 460 representatives of children forums from all the Districts and refugee camps turned up yesterday on Thursday January 17, 2013 to prepare for the children’s summit. These children delegates will be camping at the Rwanda Red Cross Society premises for 3 days.

Children usually arrive two days ahead of the summit day in order to prepare for the summit in unison. During this time, children are given the opportunity to:

• Elect and set up a national level steering committee to facilitate in the organization and smooth running of the summit event;
• Discuss and share experiences learned during the pre-summit consultation meetings held in their places of origin;
• To evaluate children’s artifacts, sketches, songs and poems;

The children are very excited and looking forward for the summit tomorrow. MURENZI Alex from Gasabo District and a student at Kagarama Secondary School who was elected as the president at the national level says that he is very happy to see his fellow children who have turned up in very big numbers to represent their children who did not get the opportunity to participate here. He further explains that this meeting is very important because it will give them the opportunity and a platform to express their views to their leaders and also to be part of the nation building process.