KIGALI, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Week-long activities to mark this year's Rwanda National Heroes' Day were launched Friday with a focus on youths to encourage them to embrace a culture of heroism in their daily lives, an official has said.

Several activities will be held during the heroes' week, running until Jan. 31, including discussions about heroic values and sports games such as football, handball, basketball, sitting volleyball and cycling, Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, chancellor of Rwanda's Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honor told reporters at a news briefing in the capital of Kigali on Friday.

The National Heroes' Day is observed annually on Feb. 1.

Youths are guardians of the country's future, he said, expressing his wish for them to become catalysts of heroic culture.

Rwanda's national heroes are classified into three categories named in Kinyarwanda as Imanzi, Imena and Ingenzi.

The Imanzi category is the highest order, featuring people who even sacrificed their own lives in the interest of the nation.

This category consists of Major-General Fred Rwigema, who died on the battle field on the onset of liberation war, and the "Unknown Soldier" representing all soldiers who died in the war.

The Imena category includes people with extraordinary deeds done for the country while the last category, Ingenzi, comprises of heroes who are still alive.