Professor Pierre Rwanyindo

Behind the broad smile, is a gentleman seen as an authority on Rwandan history and culture. Highly respected by all Rwandan communities, his work focuses on implementing an inclusive approach to address peacebuilding challenges as Rwanda rapidly develops.

An academic and leading regional economist, today, Professor Rwanyindo is the Director of the country’s leading peacebuilding organization, the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP). He combines this with his academic roles, holding a Chair at the Rwanda National University and the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors at Kigali Independent University. His academic career has included the USA and spanned the region with posts in DRC and Burundi.

We caught up with the Professor at the end of a busy morning to find out what drives him to have such a challenging role in his society and what he sees as the essential skills of a peacebuilder.

What made you add peacebuilding to your already heavy agenda?


For me the will of Rwandans, in Rwanda and around the world, to rebuild the country after the Genocide of the Tutsi, was clear. A difficult task, but not impossible, I wanted to add value where I felt I could, for the benefit of all Rwandans, and humanity in  general.

I had already been supporting associations focused on rebuilding unity and solidarity within the traditional family structure for 10 years when I came across Interpeace. It was back in 2001. At the time, it was clear to me that we could take their way of  working and tailor it to what we needed to achieve – a society that could live in harmony, without grievances, without troubles, in security, bound by respect and admiration for others.

As you built up IRDP and continue to manage a team of peacebuilders, what do you look for in a person?

It’s simple and challenging at the same time. Any peacebuilder must understand the context and its complexities. Without this,  they cannot get off first base. Then they need to demonstrate tolerance, as it is difficult not to have been affected by the events in our recent history.

Then it is simple. Peacebuilders must have the ability to listen, and listen and listen. This means listening to everyone, their differing perspectives on the same issue, their understanding of events and their input into what can be done to move forward.

To listen, people need to be comfortable talking. How do you achieve this?

We work hard to create neutral spaces for people to express their views openly, to have conversations with those they may never have expected to even acknowledge. In these places people can feel free to listen without putting up barriers in their own minds.
We work hard to be inclusive, enabling people from all levels of our society to speak out and discuss. In French, we say ‘dialoguer’. With individuals with more extreme views, we spend time with them individually before they begin to participate so they too feel comfortable being part of the discussion, and then, part of the solution.

Over the last 10 years, what has been achieved?

We need to look at the last 17 years. As a nation we have come a long way. We move closer to unity and mutual understanding. We have built the solid foundations upon which we can now build a strong house.

What are your hopes for the future?

My aspirations lie with Rwandans everywhere, from the hills to the towns, but importantly, with young Rwandans. They are the
future. They must take everything we have achieved, embed the new understanding we now have and jump on the opportunities that are waiting for them to seize.