Cultural Heritage:

Cultural heritage is an important aspect of our identity as it represents our history, evolution and aspirations. In Uganda, a beautiful collage of cultural diversity can be found across the 65 ethnic groups that present unique cultures reflected in diverse traditional institutions, languages, indigenous knowledge and skills, the creative and performing arts, crafts, dress and food. The country’s natural, cultural and historical landscapes and archaeological sites present yet another dimension to our cultural heritage. In this programme we focus on supporting initiatives to preserve aspects of Uganda’s rich cultural heritage, tangible and intangible. The Foundation in collaboration with various partners advocates for a favourable policy environment to protect, develop and promote our heritage, nationally and internationally

1. Support to Community Museums: Inspired by the pride and self motivation exhibited by individuals, families, clans, community groups to preserve and showcase their artefacts and literature, CCFU chose to support local initiatives to promote and preserve cultural heritage. So far we have worked with fifteen self motivated and dynamic individuals, groups and families, as our first partners of choice in promoting cultural heritage. The individual museums each display unique ethnographic collections, literature, traditional instruments, all demonstrating their cultural rights of self-expression and identity. A monthly Community Museums newsletter highlighting progress, new ideas, experiences, lessons and challenges provides a monthly platform for the initiators to engage with each other and forge alliances.   
   
   In 2010, a National Community Museums exhibition to raise the profile of the museums and link them to potential funders and other supporters was held. A brochure mapping the location of 15 community museum accompanied by a brief profile on each was launched at this event. It was also at this event that initiators of the community museums unanimously decided to form the Uganda Community Museums Association (UCOMA) Interested in joining or supporting UCOMA? Please register your interest here. It is anticipated that this newly formed Association will enable the members to define a common vision and articulate their needs and aspirations.
   
   
2. Heritage education in Uganda: In 2011, CCFU initiated a programme on Enhancing heritage education in Uganda, recognizing the role of the young generation in promoting cultural rights and heritage. The goal of the project is therefore to enhance the value of heritage in Ugandan secondary schools. Currently this is a one-year experimental initiative, which will be achieved in 3 pilot districts, through 3 mutually re-enforcing objectives. The first is to improve cultural heritage knowledge and skills in 12 schools through extra-curricular activities and the development of a teachers’ resource kit. The second is to promote the development of cultural heritage resources in the vicinity of the selected schools by supporting 3 community museums and their outreach activities. The third objective is to raise the profile of heritage nationally by engaging with policy makers. A competition on literal or visual expressions of cultural heritage will be held and the 12 winning entries will be used to produce a Cultural Heritage Calendar that will be disseminated to schools, policy makers and relevant stakeholders. Read more
   
   
3. Policy advocacy for heritage conservation and development: The culture sector is faced with a number of challenges in respect to a lack of awareness of the importance of  cultural heritage, limited political will and resources to develop and promote heritage  and a lack of relevant and updated legal instruments to protect cultural heritage. This coupled with negative perceptions of culture as backward, and the increasing challenges that modern development and globalization present, call for a deliberate effort to save our quickly vanishing heritage. In response to this, CCFU, in collaboration with other civil society organisations, initiated a Coalition for Heritage Conservation and Development, dedicated to protecting and promoting Uganda´s natural, historical and cultural heritage. The coalition developed a paper presenting a contextual analysis of the policy framework, an advocacy plan and draft policy brief. Your ideas and participation in this forum are most welcome Click here for your contribution.
   
   
4. Campaign to save Uganda National Museum: On 14th January, 2011 a “Request for Expression of Interest” in the New Vision newspaper was published by the Government of Uganda, issued by Ambassador Julius B Onen, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry. This was announcing MTTI's desire to construct a 60 storey multi-billion shilling building on its land, Plot 5 Kira, Road, to be called the East Africa Trade Center. Further investigations from the MTTI website: www@mtti.go.ug revealed that graphical designs have been proposed, of which the preferred design will lead to the demolition of the Uganda National Museum. Click here for more

kakeeka house in Mengo, an old houses that CCFU hopes to preserve because of the cultural history attached to it.