Uganda's Handicrafts Expo 2022 begins

In Summary
  • A variety of products, including mats, bags, wood carvings, ceramics, jewellery, fashion accessories, textiles, cow horn products, leather products, are on display
  • The expo is a means to recognize the importance of art works and other souvenirs
Traditionally, making of musical instruments in Uganda involved men, even use and manipulation of these instruments such as drums and fiddles was strictly meant to be performed by men.
Image: Edwin Muhumuza

Uganda's Handicrafts Expo 2022 at Uganda Museums has begun.

Under the theme re-thinking tourism, through culture and creative hands, the expo is a national cultural, promotional and educational event which is showcasing Uganda’s high quality authentic and original designs that are at the fore front of design trends in the field of crafts, art and interior design.

The Expo is treating the general public to the authenticity of a variety of products, including mats, bags, wood carvings, ceramics, jewellery, fashion accessories, textiles, cow horn products, leather products, among others, produced by Ugandan Artisans.

Speaking as chief guest, Prime Minister Robina Nabbanja said, that the expo especially the handicrafts and souvenir products will empower local communities especially the women to tap into the tourism revenues to strengthen the sector.

“I want to assure you that government is committed to championing the sector.”

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja gestures while on a tour of the expo
Image: Courtesy

“In 2019 the Ministry of Tourism launched the handicraft and souvenir development project to support the sector with a grant from the Ministry of Trade and such is a fruit of the intervention,” Nabbanja remarked, adding that, “the handicraft and souvenir project is therefore critical in promoting inclusiveness and skill development and promotes linkages between producers and traders and the tourism industry .This consequently improves livelihoods for the most marginalized in Uganda.”

The organizers, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities said the Expo is helping to create and increase value addition on handcraft, souvenir products on both local and International market.

According to Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Tom Butime, the expo is a means to recognize the importance of art works and other souvenirs as a project to concentrate and develop the souvenir and crafts industry so as not to get lost as before.

“The purpose of today’s exhibition to inform the public that now we are on top of the situation fortunately, we had a grant from EIF which has helped us to develop the industry up today. This happening today is an exposition to show case how far we have gone.”

“If you go around the exhibition, there are really fantastic things that I personally did not know and I intend to come back tomorrow with my wife with 1 Million shillings to go around buying,” Butime remarked.

The exhibition is running for the entire week at the Uganda Museum.