REPORT OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY AYC AND MAGNUS BAND ON THE

JANUSZ KORCHACK PRIZE PRESENTATION DAY.

On 15th of June, 2010, the Bureau of UNESCO in Burundi in collaboration with the
University of Burundi, the CIRID and the Swiss association of the Friends of Dr Janusz
Korchack organized the second Day of reflection on the academic excellence and the
presentation of Janusz Korchack Prizewinner of best essay on children’s rights, 2010 Edition.

This day organized a day before the world celebrates the International Day of the African
Child was an opportunity that permitted a reflection and exchange on the academic excellence
with an Important focus on the Janusz Korczak Prize that sanctions the best essay on the
Children’s rights.
As AYC is one of the Youth Organizations that since its creation put much care on street
children, it was the honored guest. It organized with Magnus Band composed by former
street children gathered at Magnus’s songs that opened the activities of the day; songs that
defend the cause of street children. They reminded the audience that street children must
benefit from the same right as other children; they claimed to be given the necessary to go to
school the source of the academic excellence.
After those songs that touched everyone’s soul, Marie Claire Panafrica, the responsible of one
of AYC commissions, the Peer to Peer counseling Commission in charge of street children
gave a speech in which she thanked the organizers of Janusz Korchack Prize for the
opportunity they gave to those former street children who acted as ambassadors of those who
are still in the street to sing songs that defend the cause of the street child.

AYC mission is consolidating peace and sustainable development and we saw that we cannot
reach our goal when there is a category of people that is street children we leave behind; she
asserted. This opportunity appears as a great moment of calling anyone present here to
support AYC actions in helping street children in general and the street children in particular;
she continued.

She called the attention of the actors in the academic domain to extent their efforts to promote
the education for all; the street child included. She ended her speech by asking the audience to
stand and attain the excellence in promoting the street child’s rights.

At the end of the activities, the audience claimed to listen again to the songs that those former
street children not only because of the melody but also because of the message they contain.
This second presentation has been the occasion to Gullain Irembo, one of those former street
children to address the audience and give the message.
He thanked the organizers for that they thought of and honored them to start the activities of
that day by their songs. To end his message, he said that his strong wish is to see one day that
the street children are living in good conditions any other child.

Let’s mention that the 2010 Edition Janusz Korchack Prizewinner is Reginas Ndayiragige, a
member of Fontaine ISOKO. This prize competition is opened to students from various
universities of Burundi.
Reporter: Jean Baptiste Niyongabo