ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the notion of youth and participatory arts in the context of post-genocide Rwanda 25 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Tropes such as youth, participation, justice, reconciliation, education and empowerment are often used transnationally without considering the relevance of these terms within a particular cultural and linguistic framework. Omissions and debates concerning how, when and why the participatory arts might be used with and for young people in post-genocide Rwanda will be examined through a practice-as-research project entitled Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP), designed to develop safe, inclusive and progressive spaces for young people. The research has been conducted in partnership with the Institute for Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP), including ten cultural organisations, 25 educators, five schools and ten youth from the Eastern Province of Rwanda. The initial pilot phase of activities from March 2018 to December 2018 included a scoping visit and curriculum workshop (March 2018), training of trainers (August 2018) and youth camp (November–December 2018). Pilot activities involved an additional 60 adult trainers through subsequent training of trainer activities led by adult trainers in their schools and 500 young people who participated in weekly MAP activities.
