Renowned American strategist and minister Dr. Cindy Trimm has hailed Uganda’s rising influence in global faith-based leadership, innovation, and cultural storytelling. Addressing over 50,000 women at the Phaneroo Ministries International conference in Naguru on June 14, Dr. Trimm called Uganda a beacon of hope and transformation, capable of impacting the world through its faith, technology, agriculture, and ecotourism sectors.
Held under the leadership of Apostle Grace Lubega, the annual women’s gathering drew participants from over 20 countries, including East Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States.
With global broadcast coverage and massive in-person attendance, the event has grown into one of Africa’s leading faith-based MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) events, boosting Uganda’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Government officials, including Minister for Kampala Minsa Kabanda, IGG Betty Kamya, and Dr. Faith Katana from the Office of the President, were present.
In 2023, Kenya’s First Lady attended, signaling the event’s growing regional diplomatic clout.
In her speech, Dr. Trimm praised Uganda’s youth-driven innovation and natural beauty, noting the country’s cultural wealth, biodiversity, and potential to merge faith with socio-economic transformation.
“Uganda is a place of promise,” she said, “with stories and landscapes that the world needs to see and hear.”
She recalled her 2019 visit to Katwe, the Kampala neighborhood behind Queen of Katwe, the Disney film about Ugandan chess prodigy Fiona Mutesi. Dr. Trimm described how the story deeply moved her and resonated with global audiences.
“The Queen of Katwe showed that Uganda’s stories can break barriers and connect emotionally across continents,” she said.
This message was echoed by Joshua Sentongo, a U.S.-based Ugandan advisor in film and storytelling, who highlighted two major film projects set to boost Uganda’s global image.
The first, Born to Run – Kapchorwa to the World, follows a young Ugandan athlete’s rise from the Rwenzori Marathon to international stardom.
Featuring icons like Kiprotich and Cheptegei, the film will also promote Uganda’s tourism hotspots like Teryet, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the Rwenzori Mountains.
The second, Roosevelt Encounters Africa, will retrace U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909 expedition through Uganda, spotlighting the nation’s eco-tourism and conservation legacy.
Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been active in promoting film diplomacy. Through its Public Diplomacy Department, it helped launch Hidden Uganda, a documentary co-directed by Diana Museveni and Emmy-winning U.S. journalist Peter Greenberg.
Now airing on PBS in the U.S. and soon on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, the film showcases Uganda’s untold stories and cultural depth.
Together, these efforts align with the 2025 Uganda Communications Commission Film Festival theme: “Local Stories, Global Impact.” With support from faith, film, and diplomacy, Uganda is rewriting its global narrative one story at a time.
