“You Are All Ambassadors” - Amb. Nyagahura tells Rwandans in Hungary

Her message was simple but powerful; every Rwandan abroad is an ambassador.

For Ambassador Nyagahura, representing Rwanda is not limited to official duties or diplomatic spaces. It is reflected in how Rwandans conduct themselves—in universities, workplaces, communities and online.

“Wherever you are, you represent your country. You are an envoy of your nation,” she said.

Amb. Nyagahura urged the diaspora to be confident in telling Rwanda’s story, particularly at a time when social media has become a powerful space for shaping perceptions of countries and societies.

“Do not be exhausted by those who misrepresent Rwanda. Show Rwanda as it is.”

She also encouraged the community to move beyond constantly defending the country and instead adopt a more practical and constructive approach. “Let us move from being defensive to being pragmatic.”

The message was especially relevant for young Rwandans living in Hungary, where the community is largely made up of students.

For the students in the audience, the Ambassador linked academic success directly to national development.

She urged them to take their studies seriously, make the most of the opportunities available to them and return home equipped with knowledge that can contribute to Rwanda’s economic and social transformation.

Her message was equally direct; “Loving work is also loving your studies. You are young; use your opportunities wisely.”

For the Ambassador, education is not simply a personal investment. It is part of a wider responsibility to the country.

The knowledge acquired in foreign universities, she suggested, should eventually become part of Rwanda’s own development story - through innovation, investment, skills, entrepreneurship and service.

The message of responsibility and contribution fitted naturally within the meaning of Umuganura, one of Rwanda’s oldest cultural traditions.

The word Umuganura is associated with celebrating the fruits of one’s labour. Traditionally, it marked the first harvest, when communities gathered to appreciate what had been produced after months of work.

But Umuganura was never simply about crops.

It was about gratitude, unity, sharing and responsibility.

In traditional Rwanda, agriculture was central to life. A successful harvest meant food, security and prosperity for families and communities. The first produce was therefore celebrated not only as the achievement of an individual farmer, but as a contribution to the wellbeing of the wider community.

At the national level, the ceremony was traditionally presided over by the King together with the Abiru, royal ritualists who played an important role in preserving Rwanda’s traditions.

Crops such as sorghum were presented as symbols of abundance and prosperity, while families and communities gathered to share food, stories, music and dance.

At the heart of the celebration was a powerful principle; prosperity was meant to be shared.

A good harvest was not considered complete if it benefited only one person or one household.

Like many cultural traditions, Umuganura changed with Rwanda’s history.

During the colonial period, the traditional ceremony was interrupted and was eventually abolished in 1925. Because Umuganura was deeply connected to Rwanda’s traditional institutions and cultural identity, its disappearance marked a significant break in the country’s public cultural life.

Decades later, Rwanda revived the tradition as part of efforts to preserve and promote its cultural heritage.

In 2011, Umuganura was officially restored as a public holiday, bringing the celebration back into Rwanda’s national calendar.

But the modern Umuganura is not simply a return to the past.

It carries an old idea into a new Rwanda which is to; celebrate what has been achieved, appreciate those who made it possible and ask what more can be done.

Today, the meaning of “harvest” extends far beyond agriculture.

For a farmer, the harvest may be crops collected from the land.  For a student, it may be the completion of an education. For an entrepreneur, it may be a growing business. For a researcher, it may be a discovery. For a community, it may be a development project that transforms lives.

And for Rwandans living abroad, the harvest may be the knowledge, experience, relationships and opportunities they can bring back to Rwanda.

This broader meaning is what keeps Umuganura relevant to a changing society.

It invites Rwandans to look at what they have achieved - not only as individuals, but as families, communities and a nation - and to consider how those achievements can contribute to something greater.

That message resonated strongly in Hungary, where Rwandans gathered not only to celebrate their heritage but also to reflect on their responsibilities as members of the Rwandan community abroad.

Ambassador Nyagahura's message placed the diaspora at the centre of that responsibility.

“Wherever you are, you represent Rwanda.”

The statement transforms the idea of an ambassador from a diplomatic title into a daily responsibility.

It means representing Rwanda through excellence at university, professionalism at work, honesty in the community, respect for others and commitment to the country's development.

It also means carrying culture beyond Rwanda's borders.

For Rwanda's diaspora in Hungary, Ambassador Nyagahura's message was therefore more than a call to represent the country well. It was a call to become part of Rwanda's next harvest.