Mekado is developing in collaboration with the Rwandan NGO CARSA (Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance) the architectural concept for the “Ubwungo Peace and Reconciliation Centre” in Kigali, Rwanda. The Vision is to build a center which collects and exhibits Rwandans’ positive stories of post- genocide reconciliation to promote stories of solidarity and hope for future generations. It will serve as a platform for visitors, researchers and local community members alike and function as a pioneering space of learning and knowledge exchange on the post-genocide journey of Rwanda.
The mission of the center is to serve communities by supporting their journey towards healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and holistic development. The plan is to build a campus dedicated to learning and knowledge exchange on post-genocide healing and reconciliation. It will be called the Ubwungo Peace And Reconciliation Center.
The campus will comprise various facilities arranged around a central elevated community plaza with café and restaurant area which allows people to meet and dine while enjoying the beautiful view over the valleys. The UPRC will include a reconciliation museum and gallery with an exhibition of the stories of post genocide healing from both survivors and perpetrators. There will be multimedia center with a digital archive and video studio and editing facilities for the on-site production of personal stories related to post-genocide reconstruction. The library will serve as an educational hub for all those interested in post-genocide peacebuilding and restoration. Peace dialogue, debate, training on conflict resolution, film screening and discussion and other peace-related activities will take place here. The ‘Bridge Room’ next to the museum will facilitate mutually beneficial exchange of information between local or visiting researchers and local community members. In front of the plaza will be the conference center to host local, regional and international conferences on reconciliation wich functions simultaneously as a lokal community hall.
In the back of the Center there will be accommodation to allow visitors and other people interested in reconciliation to stay in a vibrant campus to participate in various programs. The campus is embedded in a community garden surrounding the campus which is developed and nurtured communally by local communities. For further information on the work and programs by CARSA, please visit: https://www.uprc-rwanda.org/
