Peace is more than, and other than, the absence of war.

Peace is the permanent presence of good will.

Dr. Maya ANGELOU
January 27th, 2016

Axel UMWUNGERE
Burundian Student
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ESSAY CONTEST

2016 Edition.

Humans have been struggling since millennium and lived out an enigma that
persists till now always searching for the unreachable development and trying to fulfill
their needs no matter what they are facing or destroying. History can be defined as the
record of all struggles, experience, events, mistakes, achievement that happened in the
past and in which our ancestors took part. Its that reflection about how difficult its to
realize how far mankind has come through that series of stumbles and forward falls.
Also what we are, where we are, how we are is all about history. How would Burundian
youth build blossomed future and based on inclusive economy growth?
The object of history is quite simple merely truth as Dr. MAYA mentioned it
Africa as a historical truth because every past and experience includes truth and so as
in Africa. The perspective in learning from history is not only expressly to find out what
exactly happened in the past but elucidate why it happened that the consistent way of
knowing the truth. The details of that research might show us the right direction and
the optimal choices as a starting point to a better future so that we avoid committing
the same mistakes like in the past and removing obstacles in our path-goal with that
truth. To my mind someone will never change the things in his life that he knows are
defective unless he learns the truth. Change requires learning the truth.
Second, Burundian youth is torn between the past and the present. Fear of the
current feeds the fantasies of the past; and the heaviness of the past harms in any
initiative. The future is only slightly raised and often inauspicious, this is perceived as a
miserable survival. The decor and planted the Burundian youth leads a life without
project. The lack of project is causing the lack of unifying aim with all its consequences.
But how to redirect the natural energy of the youth in order to focus on what is most
decisive; that is to say the bright future? The question is both profound and timely. To
resolve those issues, Burundian youth should learn from that history to wake up their
motives, their entrepreneurial actions, their leadership, turn away that hopelessly way
of living and build a better future for our country.

05/02/2016

The issues on our life as young have much more to do with who we might be
in the future than who we have been in the past. For decades, Burundi has suffered
divisions, wars for personal interests most times impeding the global and especially
social cohesion economy that is the basis of all flourish and development. As a youth,
our generation is the main actor of this renaissance to erect and build our economy,
promote sustainability by learning historical facts that tell us about past mistakes not
to repeat. This is the key to work hard, tap on our reservoir of talents and energy hidden
to raise our Inclusive growth, synonym of stability, its durability and ability to benefit
large sections of the population with difficulties to create decent jobs and reduce social
inequalities, spatial and gender.
At last history also includes achievements made in the past not only mistakes.
To focus more on history by understanding and finding out all the accomplishment of
our elders will be the source of our desire to influence and to shepherd others by
improving our work, innovating our way of living and increasing our economy. This will
affect the others especially the next generation by inspiring them the trust, the need
to help achieving and attaining common goals related to a sustainable inclusive
economy growth, a social cohesion, a struggle against discrimination and a political
and social stability in our country.
To summarize Burundian Youth needs to learn by history not only knowing what
happened in the past but focusing more on why it happened. History as a record of
the past struggles, mistakes, achievements and accomplishment should be the starting
point of any thinking of a young Burundian. This is the consistent way to impact and
inspire our generation and the next ones, to accomplish our national motto Unity Labor
Progress.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

George SANTAYANA

Page 2