The Republic of Rwanda Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, has promised to safeguard the environment through the monthly community work known as Umuganda in cooperation with Duzce University and the Rwandan Community in Turkey.
The commitment was made during Umuganda, held at Duzce University, about 250 km from the capital Ankara, on Friday.
Over 100 people participated in a tree planting exercise and general campus cleaning during the activity.
According to officials, this activity will continue to plant more trees in this region called “Rwanda Park.” It was provided for tree planting by the University to the Rwandan community.
Prof. Dr. Nigar Demircan Cakar, Rector of the University, thanked the Rwandan Embassy in Turkey for bringing one of Rwanda’s home-grown solutions to the region in his welcoming statement.
She praised Rwanda for launching an initiative in which everyone contributes not only to domestic growth but also to the protection of the environment.
She pledged more collaboration and support from the University’s leadership and community in improving Umuganda to the Embassy.
The exercise follows her two years earlier visit to Rwanda with Turkey’s Higher Education Council delegation.
She said back then, when they returned to campus, she introduced the university to Umuganda.
Williams Nkurunziza, Rwanda’s ambassador to Turkey, thanked Prof. Dr. Nigar Demircan Cakar for accepting to host this event and offering a tree planting area.
He also thanked both the University Community and the Rwandan community in Turkey who managed to participate in the Umuganda, adding that this activity marks the beginning of cooperation between the Rwandan Embassy in Ankara and the University of Duzce.
The embassy frequently performs Umuganda in various areas of Turkey in cooperation with the Rwandan community in Turkey with the aim of encouraging Rwanda’s picture and sharing some of the home-grown initiates.
The rector provided to send her soil and forestry specialists to Rwanda to investigate the soils of some areas of Rwanda comparable to that of Duzce in Turkey to see if Hazelnuts and Cashew nuts could be cultivated in Rwanda.
They are also anticipated to undertake studies in various types of trees, herbal medicine and birds in Rwanda, along with forestry technicians as well as bird specialists.
Duzce University is one of the finest forestry, agriculture and medicine universities in Turkey
Nineteen Rwandan undergraduate students undertake various courses at Duzce University such as Medicine, Engineering, International Relations, Business and Islamic Studies (Theology).
They provided ten scholarship opportunities to the Mufti of Rwanda Muslim society during a trip to the Higher Education Council in Rwanda in 2016 to study various courses in Turkey, and another group of 10 students is anticipated in October this year.