Exploring the depths of the colonial legacy, this book examines its complex role in shaping collective identity within the nations of Africa's Great Lakes. It provides an insightful analysis of regional conflicts, offering perspectives for lasting peace and renewed unity.You'll discover how colonial legacies still influence power dynamics today, how they interfere with identity processes and how, despite everything, peace initiatives are emerging.As an author, I have been constantly driven by respect for the peoples and cultures of this region. The opinions and perspectives presented in this book are the result of a constant dialogue with the realities on the ground, with historians, political scientists, sociologists and, above all, with the inhabitants of the Great Lakes themselves.This work is dedicated to all those who, despite the ordeals, continue to believe in the possibility of a common future for the countries of the Great Lakes. May this foreword, and the work as a whole, be a source of inspiration for all those involved in shaping this future.