In a bold and inspiring step toward fostering peace and global understanding, the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) Nigeria, in collaboration with Tinted Travels, has launched an extraordinary peace tour to Rwanda—a country whose tragic past now stands as a beacon of reconciliation, resilience, and healing.
The peace tour, which brought together peace advocates, youth leaders, academics, and community influencers from across Nigeria, was designed not just as a journey across borders, but as a pilgrimage of conscience, aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of the devastating consequences of violence and the imperative of collective healing and peacebuilding.
A Journey Beyond Tourism: The Purpose Behind the Peace Tour
The initiative was more than sightseeing; it was a living classroom. Through this partnership, WAANSA Nigeria—a leading civil society coalition advocating for arms control and nonviolence—sought to provide a tangible experience that reflects the organization’s mission: to end the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and promote sustainable peace in West Africa.
“Peace cannot be built in abstraction,” said Josephine Habba, President of WAANSA Nigeria. “It must be rooted in our collective memory and shared humanity. Rwanda, with its journey from genocide to reconciliation, offers a compelling narrative that we can learn from as Nigerians.”
The tour served as a symbolic bridge between the past and the present, allowing participants to connect the dots between Rwanda’s history and the current security challenges in Nigeria, including ethnic tensions, insurgency, and communal conflicts.
Key Highlights of the Tour
1. Genocide Memorial Visits
The heart of the peace tour was the deeply moving visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a place that preserves the memory of the over 800,000 lives lost during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Participants were taken through haunting exhibits that document the brutality of the genocide, the international community’s failure to intervene, and the long road Rwanda has walked toward unity.
For many, the visit sparked introspection.
“I have read about the genocide, but standing here, seeing the graves, hearing survivors speak—this is something else,” said Ayo Ogunwale, one of the youth delegates. “You begin to understand what hate and division can lead to.”
2. Peace Dialogue Sessions and Workshops
In collaboration with Rwandan civil society groups and the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), WAANSA and Tinted Travels organized a series of dialogue sessions focused on conflict resolution, trauma healing, and community rebuilding.
Workshops engaged participants in interactive discussions on post-conflict justice, the role of youth in peacebuilding, and how nations like Nigeria can implement models of transitional justice without losing sight of truth and accountability.
3. Cultural Exchange and Human Connection
One of the most powerful aspects of the peace tour was its celebration of shared African identity. Through curated cultural events, local home visits, and interactive sessions with Rwandan youth groups, participants experienced the power of cultural diplomacy—a reminder that peace is built not just in policies, but in relationships.
The team also toured key landmarks including the Ethnographic Museum in Huye, Lake Kivu, and the Nyamata Memorial, deepening their connection to the Rwandan experience.
Tinted Travels: Using Travel as a Tool for Transformation
WAANSA’s partner on this journey, Tinted Travels, is no ordinary tour operator. Known for its purpose-driven travel experiences across Africa, the organization believes that travel should inspire personal growth, community empathy, and civic engagement.
“This wasn’t about passports and photos,” said Ngozi Adichie, the founder of Tinted Travels. “It was about perspective. We take people out of their comfort zones so they can return as changemakers.”
Tinted Travels handled all logistics with remarkable precision, ensuring the tour was not only emotionally enriching but also safe, educational, and seamlessly executed.
From Rwanda to Nigeria: The Work Ahead
Following the tour, WAANSA Nigeria has announced plans to launch a “PeaceBack Home” Campaign, where participants will engage their local communities, schools, and government stakeholders in dialogues and exhibitions inspired by what they learned in Rwanda.
“We can’t afford to wait for another national tragedy before we act,” said Habba. “We must teach peace, live peace, and legislate peace. Rwanda’s story gives us hope—and a roadmap.”
Participants are also expected to produce a peace communique summarizing their reflections, recommendations, and commitments to building a violence-free Nigeria.
Peace is Possible, But It Requires Us All
The WAANSA Nigeria–Tinted Travels peace tour to Rwanda was more than a historical expedition. It was a spiritual reckoning—a call to action for Nigerians to learn from the past and rise above the divisions that threaten their future.
As Nigeria grapples with its own complex challenges of insecurity, communal strife, and political polarization, the lessons from Rwanda stand tall: peace is not accidental—it is intentional, collective, and possible.
Through initiatives like this, WAANSA Nigeria continues to affirm that peace is not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice, empathy, and understanding. And it starts with us.
Registration for this tour would begin soon.