Engabu Za Tooro accredited by UNESCO

Engabu Za Tooro which is a cultural Non Governmental Organisations based in Fort Portal and operating in the Rwenzori region has been accredited by UNESCO which is a United Nations organisation to provide advisory services to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The organization has also been invited to the convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage organised by UNESCO in Nairobi Kenya from 15th to 19th of this month (November, 2010). The convention will help allocate funding to governments and set and strengthen international cultural policies for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

According to the Executive Director of Engabu Za Tooro, Stephen Rwagweri, the accreditation will help identify characteristics of cultural heritage of Rwenzori region for international recognition and support.

Rwagweri says the recognition has also taken Rwenzori region at the international level because Engabu Za Tooro is the only institution in East African and one of the four institutions on the African continent to be accredited by UNESCO.

The accreditation of an indigenous Rwenzori region NGO will also help identify funding for the Rwenzori people for the protection of their cultural heritage.

Engabu Za Tooro was also last year (2009) accredited by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on its Intergovernmental committee on intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore to act as an observer. WIPO is also an arm of the United Nations.