UNCC to hold mega cultural carnival to celebrate Uganda's 60th independence
The Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) has announced a three day carnival to celebrate the country’s diverse cultures during the 60th independence anniversary in October.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, UNCC Executive Director, Francis Peter Ojede said the carnival will be part of the annual art and cultural festival named Uganda at 60 to run between October, 7, 8 and 9 in the city centre.
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“We chose to do it in a special way with a carnival. The big carnival starting on October8 will start from Wandegeya running through the city to Jinja road and later converge at railway grounds for the big event,” Ojede said.
He explained that as part of the carnival that will run daily for three days from morning to midnight, there will be music concerts, comedy, traditional dances, exhibitions, boor fairs, literature works and any other works in the arts and culture sector.
According to the UNCC boss, on October 9, they relay live the independence celebrations to be held at Kololo independence grounds after which the carnival will resume.
“We will also have a display of the various local cuisines that we have in Uganda. With 56 tribes in Uganda, that is already diversity. We want to show how diverse Uganda is in terms of culture. Public will be encouraged to come in traditional dresses.”
“We want to take stock of what has happened in the art and culture sector for the past 60 years. We want to check and see how culture has been since independence and whether people are still appreciating it the way it was at independence.”
Ojede however noted that will be fundraising to help get the shs3.8 billion required for the organization of the carnival.
Speaking at the same function, the State Minister for Gender in charge of Culture, Peace Mutuuzo said government is committed to supporting the arts and culture sector to realize its potential even in difficult times.
“ This has been evidenced through the stimulus package and the recently approved funds for the e-concert of which artists witnessed a new way of doing art and edutaining the public in the comfort of their homes,”Mutuuzo said.
She noted that government has in the past worked tirelessly to ensure the arts and culture sector is strengthened to realize its full potential through several interventions including reviewing the existing laws, strengthening the enforcement of the copyright law and building capacity so that artists can be competitive both locally and internationally.
“We are committed to ensuring that the sector is streamlined and I am happy to see that National Culture Forum, National Union and Creatives Performing Artists and Allied Workers and Uganda Musicians Association now recognize under one agency UNCC as their commander.”
