Tooro Kingdom through its royal administration and after nomination by the Kingdom’s population awarded Mr. Stephen Rwagweri an order of inspirational and distinguished personality in recognition of his contribution to promoting of safeguarding heritage in the kingdom and beyond.
Mr. Rwagweri is a social worker and a culture expert at UNESCO level representing accredited Non Governmental institutions. He is a founder of a 20 years old Engabu Za Tooro culture NGO which has groomed a generation of culture practitioners and inspired culture programming and activism in Uganda and DR Congo with their associated youth and culture movements like Engabu Za Mbooga, Engabu Za Bunyoro and Entagurwa Za Busongora among others.
A culture researcher and scholar, he has internationally published several methodological texts and papers on safeguarding heritage and two masterpiece books on Bunyoro Kitara – Tooro heritage including; “Tooro and Her Peoples: Past, Present and Future” and “Ceremonies and Practices Associated with Empaako Naming System in Uganda”. He led the research and mobilization that resulted in UNESCO inscription of two Bunyoro Kitara heritage elements – Empaako practice and Koogere oral tradition for their internationally backed perpetual safeguarding program where currently he is the lead consultant.
Mr. Rwagweri represents Uganda on International Council of Organizations for Folklore, Folkart and Festivals (CIOFF) and International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD).
A clan head of his own Bafumambogo clan of Tooro and the coordinating chair for the Tripartite Coalitions of Mbogo clan leaders of Bunyoro, Buganda and Tooro Kingdoms.
Mr. Rwagweri has assembled the experience, expertise, networks and collaborations into an international brand called African Continental Crafts Ltd which is a social enterprise on artisans product development, innovations and advancement of competitive digital marketing solutions for crafts, artisan and cultural products from across Africa to the global market economy and hence driving equity and inclusion of marginalized traditional cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs on the continent.
