Soroti to host International Museum Day

Soroti Regional Museum will host the national celebrations for International Museum Day on Saturday, May 18, according to the Department of Museums and Monuments at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities.

The preparations, currently in high gear, will commence with an exhibition on Wednesday, May 15, followed by a quiz, poetry, and fine art competition at Soroti University on Thursday, and then the cleaning of the city, planting trees, and a campfire on Friday night before the main celebration on Saturday.

"Museums are basically institutions that collect, preserve, and exhibit the tangible and intangible heritage of a community. They play a vital role in shaping our understanding of the past, present, and future," said Nelson Abiti, principal curator in charge of museum services at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities.

Abiti noted that Soroti will be the second regional museum to host the national celebrations since the government of Uganda started commemorating International Museums Day in 2015.

The first regional celebrations were conducted in Gulu last year. He explained that Soroti was selected to host the day because of its unique cultural sites like the Nyero Rock Paints, which contain information about the existence of human beings over 5,000 years ago.

"So expect from us a rich tapestry of cultural heritage, and a showcase of the transformative power of museums in shaping a brighter future for our country, just as we used to," Abiti said.

The theme for this year's national celebration is, "Museums shaping knowledge for the future," derived from the International Council of Museums (ICOM) international theme: "Museums for Education and Research."

According to Abiti, there will also be exhibitions from other institutions like the Ateker museum, Ebenezer crafts Soroti, Uganda Revenue Authority museum (Taxation), the Bantu Migration (untold quests pictorials), Vipawa Children's Art Museum (children's creatives/Art), the UPPC Print Museum and Resource Centr, the Uganda Police Museum, an institution of the Umukuuka (Bamasaaba cultural heritage), and Historical Artifacts and Artisan craftsmanship.

The celebrations will provide a platform for the region to appreciate its rich cultural heritage and the transformative power of museums in shaping a brighter future for the country.