A youth radio-based heritage competition
As the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage Uganda, Government has closed schools and other public spaces including museums. To continue engaging young people in the safeguarding of their cultural resources, CCFU is conducting radio-based competitions.
In April and May, the competition was held in the 3 regions of West Nile (Arua), Teso and Tooro through the Madi Lugbara Cultural Foundation, Soroti Regional Museum and Koogere Foundation Museum on Arua One, Voice of Teso and Voice of Tooro FM stations respectively, with a total of 261 participants in the 3 regions.
In August, the Bunyoro cluster through our partner Bugungu Heritage and Information Centre successfully concluded their competition with 58 participants. 6 winners of the competition were awarded cash prizes and a total of 21 young people who participated in the competition were awarded certificates by the Buliisa District Chairperson, Mr. Muliisa.
Questions for the competitions were collectively developed by CCFU and the coordinating museums basing on different aspects of cultural heritage such as traditional games, proverbs and sayings, historic sites and monuments, folk songs and dances of a given cultural community.
The exercise is part of the wider annual youth cultural heritage competition organised by CCFU where young people showcase cultural heritage through drawings and paintings guided by a theme. Entries submitted by participants are vetted by a jury of cultural experts who then select best entries which are used to produce CCFU’s national heritage calendar. Winners are also awarded in a grand ceremony.
This year, the competition focuses on culture and communication where young people are tasked to draw or paint an instrument and how it is used in their communities. For more information on the competition, click here.
CCFU’s Heritage Education Programme
In 2011, CCFU initiated a programme to enhance heritage education in Uganda, recognising the role of the young generation in promoting cultural rights and heritage. CCFU now supports more than 150 “School heritage clubs” by training teachers and providing materials. CCFU also supports the development of cultural heritage resources in the vicinity of the selected schools by supporting 15 community museums and their outreach activities. The Foundation has also been engaging the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) to integrate culture into the new national curriculum for lower secondary schools. For more information, see HEP resources.