International cultural tourism fair kicks off

Tourism minister Godfrey Kiwanda, Peace Mutuuzo, Minister of State for Gender and Culture and Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, on Friday officiated at the opening of the Uganda International Cultural Tourism Fair.

Running under the theme “Cultures Empowering Each Other”, the culture fair which kicked off today at the Uganda Museum in Kamwokya will run until Sunday July 30, 2017.

The culture fair is showcasing among other things; cultural heritage through foods, music, storytelling, poetry, literature, performances, art and poetry.

Bobi Wine who inspected the various stalls with a wide range of cultural items including artefacts and memorabilia urged young people to make their culture the core of their dreams so as to transform the country.

He also urged government to invest in culture and art so as to market the country.

Betty Aliba, director of marketing for Perfect Events, the organisers of the expo, Deputy chief executive officer of Uganda Tourism Board [UTB], John Ssempeebwa, and Vivian Lyazi, Principal Tourism Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, have organised several activities for the 3-day event.

The Fair organised between the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities and Perfect Events under a Public Private Partnership arrangement will avail, create an avenue/platform for the diverse African cultural heritages and endowments for exhibition of their potential to attract worthwhile cultural tourism benefits in terms of income earnings, exposure, and knowledge to improve on existing potential for maximum utilisation.

It will attract at least 300 exhibitors of Africa’s most interesting cultural products like artifacts, memorabilia, cuisines, fashion, music, dance and drama, empowering them to showcase their culture, as well as exhibitors from other parts of the world.