The world has been on a pause ever since the health crisis Corona virus hit it by surprise leading to a closure of cultural institutions, a livelihood for majority people in the world in respect to the social distancing directive by WHO to fight this global pandemic.
With the aim to revive the creative industry during and after the corona virus times, UNESCO launched a global movement (Resiliart) to help the creatives and key industry professionals voice out their experiences and ways to remain resilient during these corona virus times. This inauguration of the conversation took place on 15th April 2020.
In response to the request by UNESCO on behalf of Uganda creative industry, the Ministry of Gender Labour And Social Development kick started these life changing discussions on a video app zoom and other social media platforms like twitter and Facebook talking opportunities and challenges during the covid19 times and beyond.
Many actors and policy implementers in the creative industry of Uganda were hosted by Mrs Juliana Akoryo the Commissioner Culture and Family Affairs in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development as the moderator for these Thursday video meetings to discuss resilience and a were for the cultural sector in Uganda. Among the notable discussants included veteran Daniel Kazibwe a musician commonly known as Ragga Dee, Alexander Bagonza musician also known as Apass and many others.
The major point noted by almost every speaker was encouraging the Uganda creative sector to embrace the online platforms to market their products which is the new normal. Mr Steven Kirenga one of the panellists on week four of these discussions added that there will be trouble for those who are in the creative industry and are still reluctant to adopt to the online way of marketing products which is the new normal.
To climax these month-long discussion, the World Culture Day 2020 will be commemorated on Thursday 21st may from 1pm to 3pm in Uganda which will be an online discussion moderated by Mrs Emily Drani the executive director cross cultural foundation of Uganda with Faisal Kiwewa the founder Bayimba foundation as the key note speaker.
The discussions will be rotating around the current situations affecting the culture sector and opportunities and challenges including solutions for them.
