4 May 2012 - H.E. Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the UK, is urging Rwandans everywhere to visit www.riding4charity.org and join Rwandan Olympian Adrien Niyonshuti in backing the first-ever London-Paris ride raising funds for Aegis.

The ride is raising funds specifically for Aegis’ peace-building education programme in Rwanda, helping a new generation to learn about the dangers of prejudice and building trust between the children of survivors and perpetrators.

Meeting Rony Cohen, organizer of the London-Paris ride, Rwamucyo commented, “On behalf of the Rwandan people, thank you. The Aegis Trust’s unique peace-building education programme is making a vital contribution to the future of Rwanda and we enormously appreciate the support being provided by www.riding4charity.org. I’m delighted that our Olympic cyclist, Adrien Niyonshuti, has already met with you, and I would urge Rwandans everywhere to dig deep and strongly back your initiative.”

Thanks to match-funding of up to US$100,000 for the Aegis Trust’s peace-building education programme from OneWorld Boston, a Cummings Foundation Affiliate in the United States, Aegis is now able to double every pound or dollar contributed through sponsorship for the London-Paris ride – making each donation worth twice as much.

Recent independent analysis has found that not only is the education programme changing attitudes and behaviour among the students taking part, but also among the school communities from which they come – including fellow students who didn’t attend.

“Before the workshop, I used to hear people saying that this student is a Tutsi and that one is a Hutu,” comments one student who took part in Aegis’ day-long programme, referring to ethnic divisions that helped trigger the 1994 genocide in which a million Tutsis were killed. “So, according to what my parents had told me, I had to avoid any Tutsi student at all cost and I believed that they should also avoid me because I thought that their parents also briefed them about it. But I attended the workshop, and I have understood that we can socialize and help one another because any student is my colleague without discrimination.”

“This visit changed something in our school,” comments a student among those who didn’t attend the workshop personally. “Some students could have bad attitudes like hating your colleague but with the discussions we had after the visit, this has changed.”

“We’re truly honoured to have your endorsement,”Rony Cohen told High Commissioner Rwamucyo. “Right now, we need all the support we can get. But if the sponsorship we secure through www.riding4charity.org towards the London-Paris ride can contribute even in a small way to education that helps ensure the future peace and prosperity of your amazing country, we will know it’s been worth all the effort and more.”

To find out more about the London-Paris ride or to sponsor the team, visit www.riding4charity.org. You can also follow team training and then the ride itself via facebook (www.facebook.com/Riding4Charity) or get updates on Twitter: @riding4aegis.