Welcome and Service
The opening remarks were given by Rev. Samuel Mutabazi, Head of the National Office of Education of Protestant Council of Churches (Rwanda) and Rev. Dr. Birgit Sendler-Koschel, Head of the Department of Education of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Prof. Annette Scheunpflug and Dr. Wim Kuiper from the former GPENreformation steering committee clarified the objectives of the conference: to reflect on concepts of Protestant schools in overcoming conflicts and working on reconciliation; to deliberate on the contribution of Protestant schools to the wellbeing and social cohesion of societies and to make this contribution visible; to share ideas and concepts in regard to peace education and education for sustainability in Protestant schools; to gain insights into current challenges of peace education in the Great Lake Region and to learn from the contribution of the churches; to develop and to strengthen the Protestant network GPENreformation.
A visit of the Sunday service in the Presbyterian Church at Kiyovu parish completed the first session.