The aim of the visit was to give winners direct experience of the added value Europe brings to the world via the Commission's development and humanitarian aid policy. The Development Youth Prize competition took place last year and a prize giving ceremony was held in Brussels in November 2006.

The visit attracted considerable media attention with Rwandese national television giving accounts of the visits, pupils were interviewed by a local radio station and had a chance to see several projects to help the people in Rwanda.

The activities included a visit to the Kicukiro Health Centre, meeting with students of the Kigali High School and a visit of the Kimisagara Youth Centre. Also the DYP winners together with Commissioner Michel laid a wreath at the Gisozi Genocide Memorial, they also visited the memorial museum and met young orphan household heads assisted by the Nkundabana project.

Commissioner Louis Michel announced the pupils as ambassadors for development, they were invited to bring back home a letter addressed to their minister of internal affairs inviting a town from their country to twin with a Rwandese town.

Commissioner Michel said, "this trip to Rwanda is a unique opportunity for these young people and their teachers to visit an African developing country, exchange experiences and establish contacts with young Rwandans, as well as to enhance their understanding of the European Commission's work in the development field. On their return to Europe they will act as real development multipliers, sharing their experiences and their understanding of a complex reality, solidarity and Europe's added value in the world."

All pupils have been invited to come to Lisbon to the Development Days to report about their experience and be the mentors for the next Development Prize winners.

In 2006, 751 committed young Europeans and their teachers took part in the DYP competition by submitting contributions highlighting European cooperation in Africa. The Prize was organised by European Schoolnet with the support of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Development. National juries, composed of experts and representatives of the Member States' development and education ministries, selected one winner and one runner-up per country, who participated in the European Development Days in Brussels in November 2006.

In addition to these visits, Commissioner Michel took part in the meeting of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (ECGLC) to demonstrate the European Commission's political and financial support for the efforts of the countries of this region, devastated by years of conflict, to re-launch a regional area of economic cooperation, peace and stability.

More information on the prize: http://www.dyp2006.org