U.S. Ambassador Visits Northern Uganda; Inaugurates Acholi Cultural Center

Newly-arrived U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Steven Browning makes his first trip outside of Kampala to northern Uganda this week, demonstrating the importance that the American government places on resolving the 20-year conflict with the Lord’s Resistance Army, and providing humanitarian support to the huge numbers of internally displaced persons in the region. 

Ambassador Browning has been invited by the Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, to inaugurate the Acholi Cultural Centre in Gulu on April 18.  The Acholi Cultural Centre was built with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  President Yoweri Museveni laid the Centre’s cornerstone at the time of Rwot Acana’s coronation as Paramount Chief in January 2005.

The Cultural Centre will display antiquities and art, host festivals, dances, sports and games, and provide a much-needed venue for educational talks and programs.  An educational program will be developed for children and adults in order to preserve the rich Acholi culture, which has been under severe stress during twenty years of insurgency.

The Cultural Centre’s official inauguration will include a tree-planting ceremony and traditional dancing and music.  Both outgoing and incoming Members of Parliament and local officials have been invited to attend.  It is hoped that the Centre will promote peace and reconciliation among the Acholi and neighboring communities as well as contribute to increased economic opportunities for people in northern Uganda.
   
During the rest of his visit in the north, the Ambassador will be visiting numerous projects and activities funded by the U.S. government.  He will be meeting with a range of Ugandans from government officials to children in IDP camps to hear about their experiences and their hopes for the future.

For further information, please contact Kim Burns, Communications Officer at USAID (41/31-387-387 or email kburns@usaid.gov), or Alyson Grunder, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy (41/31-259-791 or email grunderal@state.gov).