The sponsor and speaker at the forum said it was important for people to learn more about the laws that affect cultural development. “The major issue is that while we pass legislation in this House [Parliament], the actors do not do so.” “To educate our population, you must engage in advocacy,” said Among.

The Forum’s chairperson, Hon. Apollo Yeri Ofwono says it tries to help the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development with budgeting and making laws.

To effectively advance the agenda, he continued, the conference will promote the establishment of a line ministry for culture.

“The Ministry of Gender has lost many initiatives and transferred them to other ministries.” “We want a line minister for culture to take charge of those initiatives,” Ofwono remarked.

Naumo Juliana Akoryo, who is in charge of gender and community development at the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development, told members of Parliament that they should pass laws to protect the work of Ugandan artists.

She also asked the parliamentary forum to “domesticate” cultural preservation agreements that had already been agreed to.

She talked about the Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage and said that a law was needed to protect creativity.

“We have until May to pass a law, according to the Attorney General.” “The primary concerns we’ll use to construct the law’s guiding principles will be discussed with the artists when we get back to you,” Akoryo said.

Rose Agoi, Secretary General of the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, says that budgeting for culture can help Uganda get in a better position to talk about its history on a national and international level.

Uganda has ratified three cultural conventions. They are essential for keeping our history safe and bringing in tourists, but Agoi says that a lack of money has caused the culture to fall behind.

She also noted that the nation’s current legal system does not safeguard artists.

“Parliament is responsible for upholding the rights to other people’s creative works.” This forum is crucial because, according to Agoi, it will allow us to legislate the popularization of our culture.

Barbara Kabwetera, executive director of the Cross Culture Foundation Uganda, advocated for a drive to include indigenous knowledge of Uganda in the school curriculum to improve the unfavourable impression of Ugandan culture.

The Deputy Representative for UN Women in Uganda, Adekemi Ndieli, highlighted the chance to develop good cultural values that can raise the status of all Ugandans, particularly marginalized tribes and cultures.

According to Ndieli, this forum was created because “as Members of Parliament, we believe that you will be able to study and take up these great cultural traits to improve the well-being of everybody in Uganda.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.