Report Of The Virtual Mentorship Program For The Youth In The Promotion And Preservation Of Cultural Heritage In Uganda.

Abstract

This report arises from the virtual mentorship program that was organized majorly to inculcate an in-depth understanding and appreciation of Cultural heritage and the importance of promoting and preserving it among the youths, and mobilize the youths to re-activate the Youth Desk at Uganda National Commission for UNESCO Secretariat to ensure that issues affecting the Youths are at the Centre of UNESCO’s work. In it has been noted and observed with concern that in Uganda cultural heritage is seen by the youths as something of no value and as an irrelevant harping back to the past by majority of the youths. Its economic value is not widely recognized. In fact, heritage is often associated with backwardness and yet cultural heritage is essential to shaping the future generation. Culture forms a vital part of our identity and must be kept alive even the hardest to tell stories must be told to preserve our cultural Heritage for posterity. I therefore call upon all stakeholders, development partners, Civil society and faith-based Organizations and cultural Institutions to work in partnership with us and help the youths to appreciate their cultural Heritage such that they can get involved in its preservation and promotion of cultural Heritage for their wellbeing and for sustainable development.