Many a time, people will identify communities and their cultural heritage by physical monuments, attire or other tangible objects that have over centuries been known to be possessed or used by that particular community.
With modernity, industrialisation and other conservation ideals, however, peculiar bird feathers, scary big cat hides, preserved monkey tails and bark cloth among other distinctive items are no longer the go to aesthetic for traditional ceremonies, dance attire or royal ensembles.
As this physical identifier aspect shrinks ever-so gradually, the need to drum up visibility for the Intangible Cultural Heritage among communities is now, more than ever before, imperative.
UNESCO defines Intangible Cultural Heritage as “traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.”
It further emphasizes that while fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization.
The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU), a Non-Governmental Organisation that prides in promoting the recognition of culture as vital for human development, on Thursday convened a national dialogue on the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) at Hotel Africana, Kampala.
The dialogue is part of CCFU’s Heritage Education Programme, supported by UNESCO, which seeks to promote the transmission of living heritage in higher learning institutions and beyond.
The event brought together representatives from civil society organisations, government agencies, academic institutions, and selected community representatives to deepen the understanding of intangible cultural heritage, its inscribed elements, and the collaborative opportunities the Convention offers.
With support from the UNESCO office in Paris, CCFU organized a dialogue to create more awareness about the numerous structures through which Uganda’s diverse cultural heritage can be appreciated, preserved and passed on one generation to the next.
Uganda’s position on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage
Uganda ratified the Convention in 2009, joining a global framework that recognises and safeguards living traditions, including oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, social practices, knowledge systems, and traditional craftsmanship.
Currently, only six Ugandan organisations are accredited by UNESCO to support implementation of the Convention, including; CCFU, Engabu Za Tooro, Gulu Theatre Artists, the National Council of Traditional Healers and Herbalists Association, Uganda Community Museums Association (UCOMA), and the Pearl Rhythm Foundation.
According to CCFU, Uganda has one element – backcloth making – on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, alongside five elements (The Madi bow lyre instrument and music; Empaako naming ceremony among the Batooro, Banyabindi, Banyoro; Bigwala music from Busoga, the Male Child Cleansing Ritual among the Langi and the Koogere Oral Tradition among the Batooro) listed under the ICH in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
Speaking at the dialogue, CCFU’s Executive Director, Barbra Babweteera, emphasized that safeguarding ICH is essential for strengthening identity, promoting cultural continuity, and contributing to sustainable development.
“This dialogue is timely for Uganda. It will not only raise awareness about the principles of the 2003 Convention but also mobilise stakeholders to support communities in preserving and transmitting their heritage to future generations,” Ms. Babweteera said.
She added, “As much as we are doing heritage education in secondary schools and universities, there is still a very big gap in appreciating and understanding the framework of the 2003 convention in which Uganda participated in the development of the standard guidelines that safeguard our cultural heritage.”
The dialogue was also graced by representation from the UNESCO Uganda Office, who commended the work of CCFU against sizeable limitations.
“Uganda’s cultural diversity is one of its greatest strengths. Through the 2003 Convention, communities are not only preserving traditions but also using them to address modern challenges such as education, climate change, and livelihoods. UNESCO remains committed to supporting Uganda in strengthening policies, building capacities, and mobilising resources to ensure that living heritage continues to thrive for generations to come,” said Charles Draecabo, the Head UNESCO Antenna Office in Kampala.
He added, “We have certain communities that are at the verge of disappearance and one of the reasons for this is because their Intangible Cultural Heritage is not being passed on to new generations. There are communities whose indigenous languages have long been assimilated into the bigger, more populous surrounding communities. This is not ideal, we should all pride in our culture because it gives us identity.”
Draecabo underscored formal education in schools as a sustainable way of safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, complemented by government efforts to devise co-existence frameworks particularly for communities living in the peripherals of biosphere reserves, capacity building and alternative livelihood adaptations for the marginalized indigenous people.
Also read: CCFU, EOC Underscore Compelling Plight of Uganda’s Marginalized Indigenous Groups
In his remarks, Abraham Kitawulwa, Chairperson of the Uganda Community Museums Association (UCOMA), noted that Community museums are vital spaces where intangible cultural heritage is collected, interpreted and shared with younger generations.
“Through storytelling, exhibitions, and intergenerational learning, we are ensuring that knowledge, skills, and traditions, from herbal medicine to traditional music, remain relevant and inspire pride among communities. The Convention has given us a framework to strengthen these efforts and bolster them for national and global recognition,” Kitawulwa said.
The UNESCO Convention provides opportunities for countries such as Uganda to access technical expertise, international assistance, and collaborative partnerships that promote safeguarding measures, research, and policy integration. It also shifts heritage governance from experts to communities, empowering cultural bearers to take the lead in defining and protecting their traditions.
The National Dialogue is intended to generate practical recommendations for researchers, policy makers, and cultural practitioners on how best to safeguard Uganda’s diverse intangible cultural heritage and ensure its relevance in contemporary society.
CCFU’s efforts to promote ICH in higher institutions of learning
Apart from documenting cultural heritage aspects in various regions across Uganda, supporting works of community museums and other culture preservation initiatives, CCFU, through its cultural heritage safeguarding programme, has advanced the recognition of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in higher education.
In 2017, with the support of UNESCO, CCFU launched a three-year project at four universities, including Kyambogo, Kabale, Uganda Martyrs, and the Islamic University in Uganda. The project raised awareness among academic leaders on the value of ICH in Uganda’s development agenda.
Its most significant achievement was the creation of the Bachelor of Cultural Studies programme, now offered at these universities.
Students who are currently pursuing the Bachelor of Cultural Heritage Studies from Kyambogo University and Kabale University were part of the participants at the dialogue. While their course is relatively new, these showed enthusiasm, daring the uncharted waters with tenacity for the sake of cultural heritage conservation, transformation and preservation.