Traditional Dancers on World Culture Day 2004.

The 2004 World Culture Day was celebrated in Uganda on July 23rd 2004 at the grounds of the Uganda National Cultural Centre. This activity was carried out by UNESCO jointly with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development.

The theme for the year 2004 was “Culture and job creation: the opportunities”. This theme which was selected at a stakeholders meeting was meant to draw attention to the job opportunities in the culture sub-sector. The unemployed youth and policy makers were the primary targets of the world culture day celebrations.
The chief guest at the celebrations was Hon. Sam Bitangaro Minister of state for Gender and Cultural affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. The permanent Secretary of the ministry Mr. Ralph Ochan and the Secretary general Uganda National Commission for UNESCO also attended the occasion. The days festivities were marked by performances of dance troupes, an exhibition of culture products and the launch of the Culture Forum.

Traditional Dancers on World Culture Day 2004.

The Department of culture in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development developed a world culture day synopsis (an advocacy document) which was elaborated at the celebrations and sent to the districts with a request to select a day of their choice to celebrate the world culture day.

The synopsis highlighted the ways in which culture has contributed to job creation. The areas cited include Culture itself as a source of creation which is exhibited in the different ways people express themselves through music, dance, drama and the artifacts they produce. This creativity makes people skilled, ingenious and a more employable workforce. Other distinct ways through which culture contributes to job creation mentioned were:
• Cultural industries which include, publishing and sale of books, audio-visual tapes of local music and drama, arts and crafts. These industries have contributed directly to the creation of employment opportunities, economic gains and Incomes for people.
• Cultural Tourism which has provided the local communities in Uganda with job opportunities especialy through the sale of artifacts.
• Traditional Medicine practise where people have found employment as traditional healers, birth attendants, bone setters, people who sell traditional medicine and spiritual counsellors.

A variety of products were displayed in the exhibition including: arts and crafts, books traditional medicine, cloths, information on community tourism and information on culture by UNESCO. The exhibition highlighted the fact that the culture industry sector has a variety of products to offer the public at affordable prices and that there is a lot of information on the various aspects of culture that should be disseminated to the public.

In his speech the Secretary General Uganda National Commission for UNESCO informed the gathering that Uganda has contributed to the global collection of cultural heritage with three sites on the World heritage List. He also stressed the importance of Uganda ratifying the convention for the safeguarding and preservation of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity and also informed the celebrants that culture which shapes peoples behaviours has a major role to play in stopping the expansion and reversing of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Guest of Honour Hon Sam Bitangaro informed the participants that his ministry was developing a Culture policy and a National action plan for the promotion of culture in the country.

He also announced that a monument of Mr. Okot P’bitek, the first African Director of the National Theatre would be erected on the grounds as well as that of the Late Byron Kawadwa the playwright who was murdered by the Idi Amin Regime.

It was also noted that through the launched National Culture forum, a collective voice to advocate for culture would be realised and the Minister thanked UNESCO for financing part of the celebration.

In conclusion, the 2004 World culture day was successfully celebrated. The role Culture Plays in Job creation was highlighted through the publicity of the occasion. The stake holders in Culture have also agreed that the theme should be sustained through publicity and relevant programmes.

Extreme left: the Secretary general Uganda National Commission for UNESCO Mr. Omare Okurut talks to Hon Sam Bitangaro, Minister of State for Culture on World Culture Day Celebrations Uganda 2004.