Humanities & Social Sciences
Youth urged to embrace technology, innovation & creativity to foster EAC integration
A number of possibilities and opportunities for young people exist within the East African Community (EAC). By fostering collaboration in the pursuit of building a borderless East Africa Region, young people will be the beneficiaries of this unity. Speaking at the fireside conversation also known as Ekyooto held at Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), Makerere University on October 13, 2023 Ms. Bhoke Wankyo Nyerere urged the youth to make good use of their innovation, creativity and the available technology to communicate in order to curb the challenges and at the same time appreciate the opportunities that come with regional integration.
As part of the two-day youth-focused symposium, the Ekyooto brought together thought leaders, the youth, academics and other stakeholders from across the region to envision and strategize for a more integrated and harmonious future of the East African youth. Associate Professor Sarah Ssali, the Dean, Makerere University School of Women and Gender Studies and JNLC-Board Member moderated the fireside conversation under the theme, “Building a borderless East Africa.”
Ms. Bhoke Wankyo Nyerere, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s granddaughter who represented the Nyerere family at the symposium explained that a real borderless East African Community should be inclusive and people-centred with the youth as its primary target. She said that the young people need to take responsibility and use their innovation, creativity and the technology at hand to disseminate the information they have in order to bring onboard their fellow youth who may lack knowledge about the EAC.
“We are talking about the youth possibilities and opportunities and how to lead a borderless East African Community having the youth involved. According to Ms. Bhoke the greatest challenge lies in communication. Most of the young people do not know what the EAC is all about and unfortunately, some of them do not even care! With the available technology, you are all interacting through social media and to the majority of you-borders are not an issue. So, I think it is up to you, the young people to take the lead and share the information of EAC with the rest of the people within your countries,” Ms. Bhoke said.
Ms. Bhoke challenged the youth who are knowledgeable about the EAC work, to first of all help their societies appreciate what the Community is before reaching out to other countries. In her view, most of the East African Youth especially in the rural areas lack information about EAC and the opportunities a borderless East African Community presents. She however noted that a prerequisite to an integrated East African Community, is the need to put aside our differences, stay united and to respect one another.
“If we really want to succeed in uniting East Africa, we need to have that critical mass of young people who are creative, innovative and interested in the EAC integration. What is most important is respect for every person, despite our differences. We need to focus on the things that bring unity; those things that we have in common. We should look at our similarities and those are the things we should embrace, support and uphold,” Ms. Bhoke said.
In the same spirit, Dr. Saturninus Mulindwa Kasozi, Chair – JNLC Board of Directors and Director of Programs and Students Affairs at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) reminded the young people that they were privileged to have technology at their disposal. He noted that the JNLC creates a vibrant platform to give young people an opportunity to share their ideas in order to survive in the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and create a better future for East Africa and Africa at large. He urged the young people to use the different technologies, experiences and their cultural values to advance their society as well as the Pan-African ideals of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
“The opportunities you have should challenge you to possibly think about how you will survive in the fourth industrial revolution. You have been told about Artificial Intelligence (AI), but how are you exposed to it? How will you use AI to advance the agenda of your country, East Africa and that of Africa such that you can be able to be competitive in this global world where mankind must live and use the machines to advance the wellbeing of humanity, especially for Africans who are at threat because of technology,” Dr. Kasozi mentioned.
He pointed out that JNLC was initiated by His Excellency the President of Uganda to bring young people on board to advance the ideals of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere as a to preserve his legacy and advance the Pan-African agenda. According to Dr. Kasozi, JNLC has been intentional about providing the youth with information on the EAC and engaging them by organizing leadership trainings that bring together young people from different institutions to see how they can work together to unite and develop East Africa and the whole of Africa as envisioned by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
“If we recall, our forefathers created the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to bring Africans together. So,beyond thinking of getting visas to cross borders, what are you as the young people in your generation doing to bring together all the youth in East Africa and beyond? If you choose to move, what are you carrying with you across the borders? All you are looking for are employment opportunities. We want you to think beyond that and shape the future of East Africa to one where boundaries are no longer a hindrance to our movements,” Dr. Kasozi said.
Dr. Kasozi revealed that Africa is endangered and being re-colonized using indirect approaches. He therefore emphasized the need to address the mindset of young people to think beyond individualism and look at the big picture-their country, East Africa and the African continent at large. He said that JNLC provides a platform for the youth to share their ideas and think beyond their boundaries and he hoped that the JNLC and its programmes would nurture a cadre of young leaders who can promote the ideals of Julius Nyerere and drive the agenda of a borderless East Africa region.
Speaking about developing leadership skills, JNLC Executive Director, Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga said that the Centre works to empower young people, especially student leaders, to do their job. She added that the Centre developed the JNLC leadership curriculum which is anchored in the ideals and ideas of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Pan Africanism. She informed the participants that the Centre recently trained guild leaders from all over Uganda as a way to test-drive its newly consolidated and tailor-made leadership curriculum that now incorporates two new modules on Financial Literacy and Mental Health and Wellbeing.
“In partnership with the School of Languages, JNLC has developed a basic Kiswahili curriculum to go hand-in-hand with our leadership program that is supposed to provide a platform and a beginning for students to be able to communicate with other communities within East Africa. So, not only do you have the skills set to bridge the gap between academia and the workplace, but also the ability to speak a language albeit not perfectly that is currently used by over 152 million people across Africa, which is a good beginning.” Dr. Muwanga said.
Mr. Andrew Tumusiime, a member of the founding board of JNLC explained that the central point and focus must be on the rural youth who lack the exposure. He noted that most of the exposure has focused on the youth in urban areas.
He stated that as East African countries struggle to integrate, they still have a lot of challenges to overcome. Mr. Tumusiime expressed the need for the East African community member countries to ensure that they have a customs union and common market, adding that they cannot survive individually but as a team that continues to interact, benchmark best practices and build on each other’s strengths.
“It is true that East Africa has its own challenges such as slow economic growth implying that you have a small formal labour market. As a region, we have the biggest market anybody can ask for, we have the mineral resources that we can exploit and we have the labour force. This means that as we prepare to face our challenges, you would not only have to plan, but to prepare in order to have the right prepared structures in place. What we have to do is to have this great collaboration, set up taskforces with experts from different countries and timelines to achieve our objectives.” Tumusiime advised.
He told the elder generation of leaders that it is incumbent upon every individual in the East Africa community to strive and support the vision of the East Africa Community if they are to survive in the next generation that is waiting to see, audit and judge how well they have prepared for them.
According to Mr. Joram Nkumbi, the Country Coordinator of the African Youth Leadership Forum and representative of PLO Lumumba Foundation in Tanzania, there are a lot of possibilities in the East African Community, and the region cannot develop them without unity and integration. He said that a united East African region will realize a great market, unlike the one we have today.
“Remember all the four pillars of the East African Community and all its protocols; the customs union and the benefits it brings, the common market and the benefits it brings, the free movement of goods and people and some services from one place to another as well as the monetary union. Though we have not yet achieved them, they point to future possibilities. Once we achieve them, we will have the possibility of achieving regional integration where we have one government, one army, one voice and peace and security will be better. So, the development is almost impossible without these four pillars,” Mr. Nkumbi said.
Recalling the early years of the EAC before it collapsed, Mr. Nkumbi said that EAC was a better community with one single currency called the East Africa Shilling, one University, the University of East Africa, one telecommunications company, one railway system and one airline. He said that those are the possibilities that can be brought back when we come together as the East African Community.
“Our forefathers did what they could to bring us here, so, we must carry and refuel that torch of our great ancestors to spread the message of unity, integration and face the challenges we have. The next step is perhaps the most difficult one, but we must do it because we have no other option, but to assume this responsibility and burden of uniting ourselves. With this integration, we can exchange ideas, interact more with our friends in the region and come together. In Kiswahili-speaking communities, we have a proverb that says, ‘Umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni udhaifu’ which translated means ‘Unity is strength, disunity is weakness,” Mr. Nkumbi remarked.
In her submission, Ms. Jovia Nazziwa, the Equity and Inclusion Lead–MasterCard Foundation Alumni Association Uganda reiterated that majority of the youth intervention programs have favored those in the urban areas, leaving the rural youth behind. Most of the platforms are within the urban areas where they would have live broadcasts on the televisions, online spaces, but then those in the rural settings may miss all those opportunities. She said that majority of youth in rural areas cannot relate with the EAC topic due to the information gap.
“How can we achieve this objective by sending information to those in rural areas? Can we relate with the village systems or the districts systems and go back to being local with the areas that do not have the Internet, in areas where we know that people do not want to know because they are not informed about the benefits? We can take this information to the rural areas and share with them the benefits of integration like having a common market for their agricultural produce with no boundaries; letting them know that they can trade beyond Uganda,” Ms. Jovia Nazziwa said.
She noted that majority of the young people do not relate to most of the issues that concern the EAC. Furthermore, she pointed out the need to share the positive messages about the EAC, to give young people hope with the right information at the right time about the projects being developed and how the youth will benefit from them in the future.
“If projects are being created and planned and issues are discussed today but they are going to be beneficial at a certain time, let us share with them that information earlier and to know where to target and what to choose because when they get the information, they act. Those parents who received information about the existence of oil in Uganda sent their children to study oil courses and right now, some have PhDs in Oil and gas. They received the right information that there will be Oil and it will be beneficial in the next 20 years, so, they were able to act on this information,” Nazziwa mentioned.
She urged participants and training institutions to always provide information in a positive manner.She noted that whereas the young people have various innovations in line with climate change, waste management and technology, they don’t know how to proceed and use that knowledge. She thus advocated for the need to provide the information, knowledge and mentorship to the young people.
H.E. Mariat Namiiro, the Vice President of Makerere University 89th Students’ Guild proposed that the best way to achieve regional integration was to collaborate and share ideas regarding the EAC unity through the organization of debates among the fellow youth to sensitize and raise awareness, especially for those in remote areas.
H.E. Namiro believes that awareness is really important aspect of EAC unity. “Very many youths are not aware of the EAC. With awareness, I believe that they will get to know what it will feel like and why we should fight towards having that integration. Collaboration is also important. I would feel warm and pleased if at all we can share as youth of East Africa, combine ideas and see how we can help each other,” H.E. Namiiro said.
In his opinion, H.E. Alionzi Lawrence Dangote, the 88th Guild President of Makerere University said the EAC opportunities for the young people are right in the possible solutions to problems that are found in realizing full integration of East Africa. According to him, what they ought to do is to draw inspirations from the journey that they have walked as the EAC, and completely address themselves to what they ought to do as the young people to come together and unite for a cause.
“If the young people through the Uganda National Youth Council demand for the EAC integration, and the youth in their engagement programmes put pressure on their government and use every avenue they have to speak up, that the future is about the integration of East Africa more than before, this might be their most prominent contribution.” Mr. Alionzi said.
Alionzi highlighted the successful journey that has so far been walked in the integration of East Africa. He said that as early as the year 1917, Uganda and Kenya came together to form the customs union which Tanzania joined in 1927. Important to note was the year 1977 when the EAC was dissolved due to economic disparities among the member states, with Kenya way ahead of others, and also due to significant differences in political ideologies. Fortunately, it was revived in the year 2000 when Burundi and Rwanda joined.
Wrapping up the session, Associate Professor Sarah Ssali commended the stakeholders and management of JNLC as well as the young people for the active participation that made the conversation both provocative and informative. She called upon all stakeholders and young people committed to the region’s growth to join hands and work collectively in the transformative journey towards achieving a Borderless East African Community.
The JNLC Fireside conversation (Ekyooto) was one of the activities in the two-day youth symposium to commemorate Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s ideals. Hosted by Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre in partnership with Uganda Management Institute and Makerere University, the Symposium aims to foster and maintain the strong values of African unity and Pan-Africanism that Mwalimu Nyerere stood for.
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere passed away on October 14th 1999. To commemorate his passing, Nyerere Day is observed annually on 14th October. The Annual Nyerere Symposium, which is now part of the Makerere University activity calendar provides JNLC and Makerere University with an opportunity to recognize Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, one of its distinguished alumnus who fought for the independence of Tanzania and Africa in general.
Article by: Mak Public Relations Office and JNLC
Humanities & Social Sciences
Makerere Marks 40 Years of Cultural and Academic Cooperation with the Italian Ethnographic Mission
Minister calls on universities to Mainstream Cultural Studies
Kampala, Uganda | May 16, 2025 — Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Turin and the Italian Embassy in Kampala, marked four decades of academic and cultural partnership with a landmark photographic exhibition titled “Connecting Cultures: The Italian Ethnological Mission in the Great Lakes Region.”
The exhibition, hosted at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), visually chronicles over 40 years of Italian ethnographic research in Equatorial Africa. Since its establishment in 1979, the Italian Ethnological Mission—anchored at the University of Turin—has documented and studied the social and cultural fabric of the Great Lakes Region, including Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania.
Funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and supported by the Erasmus+ programme, the mission focuses on topics including refugee integration, traditional knowledge, oral history, and cultural continuity.
The exhibition aims to share the Mission’s ethnographic insights, celebrate academic cooperation between Uganda and Italy, and highlight the deep interwoven cultural legacies of the region’s communities.
Presiding over the official opening on behalf of the Honorable Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo, Commissioner Timothy Ssejjoba delivered a message emphasizing the educational significance of the initiative.
“This is not merely an exhibition of images,” he said. “It is a profound representation of intellectual partnership, cultural dialogue, and the enduring power of research and education to shape societies.”
Drawing inspiration from an African proverb—”When a child washes their hands, they dine with kings”—he acknowledged the honor of representing the Minister at such a distinguished gathering and used the opportunity to reaffirm government support for cultural preservation and academic innovation.
Commissioner Ssejjoba noted that Uganda’s aspirations, as articulated in the Vision 2040 and successive National Development Plans (NDP III and IV), align strongly with the goals of ethnographic research. He highlighted that investing in cultural heritage is not merely nostalgic but strategic for human capital development, social cohesion, and regional integration.
“In today’s world of globalization and displacement, ethnographic work becomes indispensable. It helps us preserve intangible heritage and build resilient, inclusive communities,” he said.
The commissioner commended the Italian Ethnological Mission, founded by Prof. Francesco Remotti and carried forward by Prof. Cecilia Pennacini and current Director Prof. Alessandro Gusman, for their long-standing engagement with Uganda and the wider Great Lakes Region.
Ministerial Appeal: Cultural Studies Are a Necessity, Not a Luxury
A key message in his remarks was a direct call to Uganda’s higher education institutions:
“I therefore call upon our universities to continue integrating cultural studies into mainstream curricula—not as a luxury, but as a necessity in building well-rounded, empathetic, and informed citizens.”
This appeal was underpinned by the government’s commitment to transformative education, as outlined in the Social Education Sector Strategic Plan, which seeks to produce globally minded graduates capable of addressing complex societal issues.
The commissioner also lauded the Erasmus+ Programme for facilitating student and staff mobility between Makerere and the University of Turin, significantly improving PhD completion rates and strengthening international research ties.
The Connecting Cultures exhibition offers a visual journey through four decades of ethnographic work, touching on themes such as identity, migration, oral traditions, music, and the social lives of communities across the region. It serves not only as a scholarly archive but also as a bridge between past and future generations.
“These photographs are living stories,” Ssejjoba emphasized. “They reflect identity, tradition, and the power of memory in shaping who we are—and who we aspire to become.”
In echoing the day’s theme, Commissioner Ssejjoba described the exhibition as “a testament to the transformative power of education, culture, and international solidarity.” He called upon development partners to support similar initiatives that use culture as a tool for peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, and inclusive development.
“To the students, researchers, and the broader public,” he concluded, “may you draw inspiration from this work. Let us preserve our cultural heritage, connect across borders, and use education as a force for progress.”
Italy Backs Cross-Cultural Research as Key to Social Transformation – Ambassador Massoni
Italy’s Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Mauro Massoni, hailed cross-cultural academic collaboration as a powerful vehicle for social change, policy innovation, and mutual understanding, calling the partnership between Makerere University and the University of Turin a model for international cooperation.
Ambassador Massoni praised the longstanding collaboration between Italian and Ugandan scholars, particularly through the Italian Ethnological Mission in the Great Lakes Region. He noted that the mission, established over four decades ago, continues to foster intercultural dialogue and tackle shared global challenges through ethnographic research.
“This exhibition offers more than images. It tells the story of enduring cooperation—academic, cultural, and human—between our two countries,” he said. “It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we work together across disciplines, borders, and continents.”
The Ambassador commended the University of Turin, particularly Professors Alessandro Gusman and Cecilia Pennacini, for their leadership in driving fieldwork-based research that links academia with community needs. He emphasized that the mission has not only enriched scholarly understanding but also played a role in social dialogue, community engagement, and humanitarian advocacy.
“This partnership transcends academic borders. It contributes to policy development and community cohesion. It shows how research—when rooted in empathy and equity—can improve lives,” he said.
Ambassador Massoni also spotlighted collaborative projects such as those examining migration, refugee experiences, and mobility in East Africa, many of which are supported by the Erasmus+ programme. These joint initiatives, he said, help address pressing social issues through shared academic pathways.
“Such work strengthens mutual comprehension and confronts the complex realities shaping our societies today,” he noted.
Additionally, he highlighted the recent launch of the Strengthening African-Italian Museum Partnerships project, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The initiative aims to digitize and preserve African cultural heritage in collaboration with major Italian and African museums, including the Uganda Museum.
“Italy is proud to support this effort. We see scientific diplomacy and cultural heritage as powerful tools for trust, understanding, and long-term collaboration,” he said.
In closing, Ambassador Massoni expressed gratitude to Makerere University and the wider academic and curatorial teams behind the exhibition. He encouraged guests to view the display not only as a celebration of past work but also as a call to future action.
“Let us continue building together—not only academic bridges—but human ones,” he concluded.
We must train more Archeologists and Anthropologists- Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe hailed universities as key agents of peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue, emphasizing their critical role in advancing global understanding amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Prof. Nawangwe praised the longstanding collaboration between Makerere University and Italian institutions, calling it a shining example of how academic partnerships can foster peace and mutual respect.
“Universities are the best engines for promoting peace in the world. There is no better institution than a university to bring people and cultures together,” Prof. Nawangwe asserted.
Reflecting on historical ties, Nawangwe recalled the substantial support Makerere received from the Italian government during the 1987 donor conference, particularly in reviving the Faculty of Technology. He noted that the impact of such partnerships goes beyond infrastructure and education, contributing to nation-building and lasting international friendships.
“I personally benefited from those exchanges. I lived in Italy for a month, studied the language, and engaged with Italian culture. These interactions create lifelong connections,” he said.
He pointed to Makerere‘s global footprint as a leading research institution, recently ranked by Times Higher Education as the most collaborative university in the world, based on international research partnerships.
“At Makerere, we have more researchers publishing with colleagues from other universities than anywhere else. This collaborative spirit reflects our belief in academic diplomacy as a force for development,” he explained.
Prof. Nawangwe highlighted the university’s particularly strong ties with Italy, noting that most of its Erasmus+ academic exchange agreements are with Italian institutions. He attributed this to the deep-rooted friendship between Uganda and Italy, with Makerere acting as “Uganda compressed in one place.”
Praising the exhibition’s vivid portrayal of East and Central African cultural heritage through photography, Nawangwe called visual documentation one of the most powerful tools for preserving and communicating knowledge.
“A photographic illustration is the strongest kind of evidence. It stays with you. What I saw today helped bring to life things I’ve only read or heard about,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor also expressed concern over the limited development of disciplines like archaeology in Uganda, describing it as “a shame” that the country only recently graduated its first archaeologist.
“With all our cultural diversity and historical wealth, how can archaeology be new in Uganda? We must train more archaeologists and anthropologists to study our own heritage,” he urged.
He concluded by encouraging scholars to remain committed to cultural research and international collaboration, thanking the Italian Embassy for its continued support in fostering ties between Uganda and Italy.
“We must keep walking in our pursuit of knowledge, peace, and progress for Uganda and the world,” Nawangwe said, in his characteristic blend of seriousness and humor.
Nkabala Calls for Introduction of Italian Language at Makerere to Deepen Cultural Connections
Associate Professor Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), called for the introduction of Italian language instruction at the university as a strategic step in strengthening cultural and academic ties between Uganda and Italy.
Prof. Nkabala emphasized the importance of language in fostering deeper intercultural understanding and advancing the university’s global engagement agenda.
“In addition to what is already happening, we’d like to invite you to the School of Languages, Literature, and Communication so that we can start teaching Italian at Makerere University. When we talk about connecting cultures, issues of poetry come in,” Nkabala said.
The principal highlighted the longstanding relationship between Makerere University and Italian academic institutions, referencing ongoing collaborations with the University of Turin, the European Academy of Religion, and new engagements with Sapienza University of Rome. She also acknowledged support from Italian scholars such as Prof. Alessandro Gusman and Prof. Cecilia Pennacini.
“Friends, today is testimony that the College of Humanities and Social Sciences will use all that is within its means to change the narrative,” she said, referring to the exhibition as a powerful demonstration of the college’s research impact and cultural outreach.
Prof. Nkabala praised Makerere’s deans, heads of departments, and academic staff for their collective efforts in organizing the exhibition, and extended special appreciation to the Italian Embassy in Kampala for its continued logistical and visa support, which has enabled seamless academic exchange.
“Our academics never get problems because you have a very dynamic team. We thank you very much for allowing them the opportunity to support us when we need it,” she noted, addressing Italian Ambassador Mauro Massoni directly.
She also paid tribute to predecessors, including Prof. Josephine Ahikire and the former Principal Prof. Edward Kirumira, for their role in laying the foundation for enduring academic partnerships between Uganda and Italy.
As the College of Humanities and Social Sciences continues to expand its international footprint, Nkabala urged faculty and students to remain committed to collaboration and participation in future joint initiatives.
“Colleagues, I call upon you to be present when called upon,” she said, reaffirming CHUSS’ dedication to cultural diplomacy through research, language, and the arts.
Africa Offers the World Wisdom and Science—Prof. Pennacini Urges New Era of Equal Academic Partnerships
Professor Cecilia Pennacini, former Director of the Italian Ethnographic Mission in the Great Lakes Region called for a paradigm shift in Africanist research and cultural cooperation, asserting that Africa offers the world invaluable wisdom, philosophy, and science.
Prof. Pennacini emphasized that Italian scholars came to Africa “not to teach, but to learn.”
“The ancient civilizations of Africa have so much to teach the Western world—in terms of knowledge, wisdom, philosophy, politics, even science and art,” she said. “This is why our mission has always been grounded in humility and mutual respect.”
Prof. Pennacini reflected on the foundational vision of the Italian Ethnographic Mission, established by her mentor, Prof. Francesco Remotti, who advocated for fieldwork rooted in cultural dialogue rather than colonial paradigms of knowledge extraction.
Upon assuming leadership of the Mission in 2005, Pennacini prioritized creating equal academic partnerships. She credited this approach with the establishment of a formal collaboration with Makerere University, which has since flourished through joint research, teaching exchanges, and mobility programs funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ initiative.
“We have grown together—building common knowledge and hopefully laying foundations for future generations,” she noted.
Prof. Pennacini also announced a major new initiative aimed at transforming museum practice and cultural preservation across Africa and Europe. The project, Strengthening African-Italian Museum Partnerships, is supported by the Italian Agency for International Development Cooperation (AICS) and will connect eight museums—four in Africa and four in Italy.
Participating institutions include the Uganda Museum, the National Museum of Ethiopia, the National Museum of Lubumbashi in the DRC, and the Ethnographic Museum at Addis Ababa University. These will collaborate with the Museum of Civilizations in Rome, the Royal Museums of Turin, the Savoy Residences in Piedmont, and the Anthropology and Ethnography Museum at the University of Turin.
“This project seeks to digitize, catalogue, and valorize ethnological and artistic collections through a participatory approach,” she said. “It will involve local communities, diaspora groups, and civil society as co-creators of museum life.”
Prof. Pennacini stressed the need for museums to be transparent about the provenance of their collections and to embrace inclusive narratives that reflect source communities’ voices. She tied this initiative to Italy’s broader commitment to a redefined model of cooperation inspired by the Mattei Plan for Africa, which promotes non-exploitative, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“Culture must be seen as a fundamental pillar of human development—socially, economically, and intellectually,” she concluded.
Italian Ethnological Mission Celebrates 46 Years of Cultural Research and Partnership in the Great Lakes Region — Prof. Gusman
Professor Alessandro Gusman, Director of the Italian Ethnological Mission in the Great Lakes Region, reaffirmed the mission’s enduring commitment to linking people, cultures, and institutions across national borders through academic and cultural research.
Prof. Gusman described the event as both a celebration and a reflection on 46 years of Italian ethnological research in East Africa, particularly the Great Lakes Region.
“This exhibition retraces the history of our work and celebrates our long-standing collaboration with Makerere University, one of the most esteemed academic institutions in East Africa,” he said.
The Italian Ethnological Mission, founded in 1979 by Prof. Francesco Remotti in what was then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), has progressively expanded its research footprint across the region—later including Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. It officially began its partnership with Makerere in 2004, a relationship Prof. Gusman said has significantly shaped the mission’s academic trajectory.
“The title Connecting Cultures reflects the mission’s core goal understanding and linking diverse societies through shared anthropological inquiry,” Prof. Gusman noted.
He expressed gratitude to the Italian Embassy in Kampala for its continued support, and to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) at Makerere University for hosting and nurturing the partnership over two decades.
Special acknowledgment was extended to Prof. Cecilia Pennacini, who led the Mission from 2004 to 2018, for deepening the collaboration with Makerere and expanding research into Uganda. Prof. Gusman emphasized that the Mission’s work has always prioritized cultural continuity and regional interconnectivity through language, social structures, and institutions.
“The photographs and texts featured in this exhibition are the result of decades of collaborative research and dialogue,” he said. “They are not just artifacts—they are bridges between nations, histories, and academic traditions.”
Looking forward, Prof. Gusman expressed hope that the partnership would continue to flourish, enhancing academic prestige and generating lasting societal impact.
“Our hope for the future is that these collaborations will grow deeper, bringing not only recognition to the institutions involved but also creating meaningful change across communities,” he concluded.
Makerere’s Prof. Dipio: Italian Collaboration Brings Cultures and Institutions Closer
Professor Dominic Dipio, Coordinator of the ERASMUS Mobility Program at Makerere University, praised the ongoing academic and cultural partnership between Uganda and Italy, calling it a powerful force for diplomacy and institutional connection.
Prof. Dipio highlighted how collaborative efforts between the University of Turin, Makerere, and the Italian Ethnological Mission in the Great Lakes Region have served to “bring Italy closer to Uganda.”
“Exhibitions like this are important because many Ugandans, especially those shaped by British colonial heritage, know little about Italy. These events narrow that gap,” she said.
The exhibition, organized in partnership with the Italian Embassy in Kampala, builds on a previous one held in 2022. Prof. Dipio lauded the long-standing academic ties facilitated by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program, which has enabled robust student and staff mobility between the two universities since 2016.
“This triangular relationship between the Government of Italy, Erasmus+, and our universities has allowed Makerere students to spend up to ten months in Italy completing their dissertations — a rare opportunity that boosts our PhD completion rates significantly,” he noted.
Prof. Dipio emphasized the critical role of scholars in diplomacy, stating that research and academic exchange naturally weave connections across cultures and borders.
“The work of scholars often goes beyond classrooms and papers. It becomes a means of international dialogue and peacebuilding,” he said.
She also commended the logistical teams from Makerere, the University of Turin, and the Italian Embassy — particularly the visa section — for enabling seamless academic travel.
“Your commitment, your flexibility, and your belief in this partnership have made it thrive. We are grateful,” Dipio said, addressing embassy representatives present.
The exhibition showcases decades of ethnographic research by the Italian mission and emphasizes themes of cultural continuity, social institutions, and intercultural exchange in the Great Lakes region. Prof. Dipio expressed hope that the exhibition panels remain accessible for more students and faculty to benefit from before the academic break.
“We pray this collaboration continues to flourish. It is not just institutional — it is deeply personal. We now call each other by our first names, a sign of the trust and friendship we’ve built,” she concluded.
The Connecting Cultures exhibition is part of a broader movement at Makerere University to internationalize its academic outlook and deepen ties with institutions around the world, especially in the humanities and social sciences.
Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer CHUSS
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