Engabu Za Tooro delegation meets the former Columbia beauty queen -- discuss preservation of heritage of indigenous communities in Africa

Stephen Rwagweri with former Miss Columbia

Engabu Za Tooro UNESCO delegation on Friday, 13^th December, 2019 met the former Miss Columbia Ms. Vanessa Mendoza at the Agora Convention Centre in Bogota and discussed the preservation and safeguarding heritage of indigenous communities in Africa.

Vanessa Mendoza who held the Miss Colombia title in 2001 – 2002 grew up in poverty. Her father died when she was still young, leaving her mother to care for the family. Despite the poor conditions the family endured, Vanessa showed early interest in becoming a model, and began pursuing that career until she became the first Black Miss Colombia.

According to the head of the UNESCO delegation, Stephen Rwagweri “the meeting with the former Columbia beauty queen will increase funding for projects aimed at safeguarding and preserving and revitalising  the cultures of indigenous communities across the African continent since the beauty queen has a lot of influence among the wealthy celebrities in America”  

UNESCO delegates at the Uganda exhibition stall

Engabu Za Tooro UNESCO delegation are Deo Katekere Rubongoya, Sylivia Catherine Nyangoma and Engabu Za Tooro Executive Director and CIOFF Uganda President Stephen Rwagweri who is the head of the delegation.

The 14^th ICH IGC UNESCO session is taking place between 8^th – 14^th December, 2019 and 156 countries have been represented across the world.

The 14^thsession of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, organized by UNESCO and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Columbia has attracted hundreds of people from across the world who include ministers of culture from all over the world, UNESCO ambassadors, culture experts, artists and funding bodies in the field of arts and culture among others.

Currently Engabu Za Tooro is implementing a UNESCO co-funded Project UGA 01210 which focuses on documentation and revitalization of Empaako naming rituals and practices in Uganda.