The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) has host its 13th annual youth cultural heritage awards in which 14 young people were honoured for their exceptional talent in promoting cultural heritage.
This was during a ceremony held at the Buganda Heritage and Tourism Board premises in Mengounder the theme “culture and Taboos,” which celebrated the creative interpretations of Uganda’s rich cultural heritage by young people.
Over 338 entries from across the country were submitted, with a jury of four heritage experts selecting the top 14 artworks that have been used to produce the 2025 Heritage Calendar.
Daniel Muhulizi, a student at Mountains of the Moon University, took the top spot with his thought- provoking drawing illustrating the taboo that prohibits pregnancy before marriage in the Tooro culture.
His artwork highlights the importance of respecting community norms while also sparking meaningful conversations around cultural heritage.
Henry Ssemakula from the Ministry of Education and Sports underscored the importance to teaching young people the role of cultural heritage promotion.
“Beyond teaching academics, we encourage schools to teach music, dance and drama which have a lot of cultural information. For example, if you pick a dance from Acholi, Busoga, Buganda, Bunyoro or Ankole, it has a message. It is either related to relationships or ceremonies like marriage among others,”Ssemakula said.
The deputy Executive Director of the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda, Fredrick Nsibambi said the 14 young people had demonstrated an exemplary appreciation of Uganda’s rich cultural heritage.
“Their artwork not only showcases their creativity but also highlights the role culture in addressing contemporary development challenges such as early marriages or teenage pregnancies.”
“This event is part of CCFU’s long term intervention, the heritage education programme which promotes an appreciation of Uganda’s diverse cultural resources through the eyes of young people.”
