Kigali — The tenth round of the Pan African Dance Festival [FESPAD] held recently in Rwanda, did more than just unite contemporary and cultural dancers from all over the world, returning Rwandan artists have proclaimed. Visitors were also exposed to a new Rwanda that is long detached from the still roaming genocide stereotypes.

"Some were amazed at how much Rwanda has developed despite the genocide and promised to come back," said FESPAD Director, Carole Karemera. She said that unlike past FESPAD events, the just ended one had attracted huge international crowds.

"We got more than 50,000 people. Got 20 hotels working which were serving 1200 meals per day and also had to hire transportation for more than 200 people," she said.

Also a recent returnee, barely two years in the country, Karemera, comparing to the genocide period that cost Rwanda over a million of her people, image and infrastructure said that she was astonished by how much recreational activity is presently going on in Rwanda.

"As a returnee, I have had great experiences and it is quite a challenge. I have met a lot of interesting people," she said.

FESPAD a week-long dance festival that takes place bi-annually was initiated in 1998. It was intended to be an eye opener to the significance of culture but has over the years attracted other genres like hip-hop, drama and the recent introduction of contemporary dance.

The recent dance festival was from 27th July to 2nd August 2008.

Karemera also a professional artist has starred in "Sometime in April" a movie depicting the gruesome period of the 1994 genocide and is also passionate about culture.

"We have excelled with coffee, tourism and the next step is culture. We underestimate the power of culture. Next year we could get over a 100, 000 people and 5000 tourists," she said.

Rutaremara Kimenyi, who is part of Ishyo a local Rwandan dance group and performed during FESPAD, said that, "it was the first time as an artist to see that many artists. It was a perfect image of cultural diversity."