Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani (L) received by the Director General of ICC
Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Rwanda has urged students at the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) in Kigali to work hard and earn scholarships which can be offered abroad within the framework of the cooperation between the UAE and Rwanda.
“This is support that we all hope for. Especially since there are common points between Rwanda and the UAE. Both countries use English as the teaching language. Students should be fluent in English and optional subjects here. In this connection, Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani mentioned renowned universities such as Sorbonne University, New York University, and others, which are located in the UAE, but which require strict admission requirements. The visit of Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani therefore also aimed to motivate the students of the Secondary School of the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) of Kigali to work hard to earn scholarships for these renowned universities. Let us note that each year the ICC helps three to four students who attend Rwandan universities”, indicated the Director General of the ICC, Abdellatif Oulad Aouid.
Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani gave a presentation and moderated an exchange with students from the Secondary School which focused on science teaching and education in the UAE. Especially since this school has combined sections where we find math, biology, chemistry, physics or economics. The ICC Secondary School has grown for 35 years and now has 901 students and 42 teachers.
Ambassador Hazza’s presentation led the students to sketch the future of experience and student exchange between Rwanda and the UAE.
For the Director General of the Kigali ICC, the ICC is an NGO supported by an organization at the level of the UAE which bears the name of “Khalifa Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Foundation”. On the Libyan side, there is a second organization called “World Association for Islamic Peace” which provides support. So, there are two donors providing assistance to ICC. There is an annual budget for the management of the secondary school, the dispensary, training activities for women, and annual competitions for memorizing the Coran. Besides that, there are social activities carried out by the Center from time to time, inside the Center or outside, and which focus for example on needy students or prisoners ”, indicated the CEO of ICC Abdellatif Oulad Aouid.
Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani recalled that the UAE contributed 50% for the construction of the ICC. For more than ten years, the UAE has fully funded ICC’s budget at 100% which includes: a secondary school; an equipped dispensary providing free care; a sewing school and a primary school; a sewing school in Kirehe; and another sewing school in Nkumba in the district of Musanze; then there are the activities of Islamic culture.
It should be noted that the ICC Secondary School counts among its achievements the training of Rwandans from all religions of the country, some of whom are now high-ranking officers in the Army and Police. (End)