Kigali, 6 May 2014
President Kagame today received Lord George Carey, retired Archbishop of Canterbury who has returned to the country after 19 years.
Speaking to the press after meeting President Kagame, Lord George Carey said Rwanda has responded magnificently and was a strong, vibrant, buoyant country that was going in the right direction:
“Majority of people back in the UK probably don’t even know genocide happened here and that is why we have to re-awaken their memories. We think of the genocide in Germany, Cambodia, and Armenia and people forget quite easily. We do terrible things to one another and that is part of human nature and we have to overcome them.”
Lord George Carey, who is remembered as the first Anglican Archbishop to ordain women priests, commended Rwanda’s policy on gender equality:
“The reason why I am passion about this is because women represent 50% of the human family, have the same brain capacity as the male and have many wonderful gifts and why wouldn’t they be allowed to use those gifts? Rwanda’s emphasis on gender equality is very good and a modern thing too. I would like to encourage President Kagame to maintain his enthusiasm because he is doing a great thing.”
The Minister of Local Government James Musoni said the Archbishop was lat in Rwanda in 1995 right after the genocide and was impressed to see how the country had transformed in such a short time. Minister Musoni said Lord George Carey pledged to continue playing a role, especially through TEAR Fund, in helping Rwandans improve their lives.