Rwanda any further movement between the classes. Belgium continued to rule Ruanda-Urundi (of which Rwanda formed the northern part) as a UN Trust Territory after the Second World War, with a mandate to oversee eventual independence. Tensions escalated between the Tutsi, who favoured early independence, and the Hutu emancipation movement, culminating in the 1959 Rwandan Revolution: Hutu activists began killing Tutsi and destroying their houses, forcing more than 100,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. In 1961, the suddenly pro-Hutu Belgians held a referendum in which the country voted to abolish the monarchy. Rwanda was separated from Burundi and gained
Miss Earth Rwanda Miss Earth Rwanda The Miss Earth Rwanda is an annual beauty pageant in Rwanda and has been held since 2015. It is responsible for sending Rwanda's representative to the Miss Earth pageant which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.<ref name="chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/25/content_385531.htm"></ref> In 2008, Miss Earth created a history when Rwanda sent its first ever Miss Rwanda national winner, Cynthia Akazuba following a month after Rwanda became the first country in history to elect a national legislature in which a majority of members were women in September 2008. Cynthia Akazuba competed in Miss Earth 2008. The franchise was in