WORLD FOOD DAY MESSAGE:

 

Fifty four years after the branding by Sir Winston Churchill, this Country got Independence , but the same brand name, the pearl of Africa remained.

 

Considering its long history of wars, wanton destruction of much our natural resources, dynamics and issues concerning the Cultural Institutions, aware of the general decadence and draw back in Uganda as a whole, up until 1986; and in particular considering the gains made over the last 20 years of rule by the Movement Government, a program of re-branding and promoting Uganda 's image was put in place by Government September 2005.

 

For long, Uganda had allowed events and other people define her or portray her image. Most of these definitions and interventions however, had not done Uganda any justice. Uganda refused to be judged from the perceptions of other people, particularly those who do not care what damage the unjust portrayal impacts.

 

A road map for change of its image was set, and like many others who have done it before and probably continue to, Uganda , seems to be on the right course for this.

 

The Government secured sponsorship of a premier show on CNN, the world's leading news and information channel. A six month long campaign was run 15 th October 2005 to 2nd April 2006, launched by H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museven on 22nd October 2005, served to create awareness about Uganda and its warm people.

 

The importance and impact of this global opening need not be over emphasized. This time Uganda , got, and will continue to tell the Ugandan story, showcasing of the unique beauty of the land and natural resources, the vibrant culture and the people with the deepest sense of humility anywhere in the world, to a global audience.

 

A parallel process to the filming and the associated planning for the promotion and marketing of Uganda as a tourist destination, SCOPE in coordination with TERP GROUP decided to start a nation-wide branding exercise in search of a suitable national brand identity to show to the world, with outputs contributing to the enrichment and/or consolidation of the film coverage presentations.

 

A Brand (see image) was identified and adopted by a process coordinated Government; with an institutional framework and mechanisms for development and use of the Brand established as a partnership between the Public and Private Sector.

 

Specifically, the Brand Values are: (a) Uganda 's unique combination of natural and human endowments, (b) Uganda 's warmth and hospitality, (c) Uganda's entrepreneurship and workforce versatility, (d) Uganda 's geo-tourism destination potential, (e) Uganda's investment opportunities, ad (f) Uganda's commitment to sustainable development Readers are invited to link up with the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, and in particular its organizations ( http://www.mtti.go.ug , http://www.visituganda.com , http://www.uwa.org.ug , http://www.uwec.or.ug), so that they can be provided with information on Uganda's natural and cultural endowment, tourism in general, as well as access the available development opportunities.

 

The Ministry is developing a special internet based information interface facility for the sector, the Tourism Portal. This tool will act as an available single entry of all the different information sources within the tourism sector, effectively harmonizing the information content in the whole country by virtue of site information management.

 

The purpose is, through ICT, to facilitate effective information flow within the sector, and give support to realization of the objective of Government on Poverty Eradication (PEAP) To the Ugandan Community, the Ministry and the associated institutions would like to bring to your attention or remind you of this unusual level of natural endowment, associated not only with our own selves in behavior and all action as responsibilities, but also our immediate environment that we may interact with variously.

 

Our country still avails to us a unique opportunity, as its trustees, tourists, possible investors and other stakeholders in the tourism industry at various levels, to protect and fully enjoy this priceless heritage and safely pass it on to future generations in perpetuity.

 

The Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, together with its associated institutions, wish to congratulate H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museven, the abinet, the Parliament and all the Ugandans in their diversity and way of life, for having reached the Country's 44 th Independence Anniversary.

 

Uganda , a Country "Gifted by Nature"