By Benjamin Jumbe & Stephen Otage
The Italian ambassador to Uganda Domenico Fornara has underscored the importance of culture preservation.
This comes as the embassy starts a week long Italian cultural and cookery week.
The ambassador says everybody needs to be proud of their cultures because it unifies people and promotes development.
“For us in Italy, our culture is very important and all over the world, all our embassies are observing this culinary week to celebrate our food, wine and cultures and here we have organized gala dinners and film screenings,” he said last Friday during a press conference at his residence.
He said part of the activities this week involve fundraising activities between the embassy and CoRSU rehabilitation hospital where they will be raising money for rehabilitating children with disabilities.
Today evening, the ambassador will be hosting an Italian gala dinner at his residence in Kololo with the live screening of Italian Actor Vicenzo Marra’s “L’Equilibro’s film where he will also be present to meet the guests.
Tomorrow, the Swiss Consulate in Kampala will be screening another film Smetto Quando Voglio at 7:30pm at the 7 Hills International School in Kololo and on Wednesday evening, the embassy will host an Italian dinner with live music at Café Latte.
On Thursday evening 7 Hills International School and the Swiss Consulate will host a public screening of another film “II Capitale Umano” and on Friday Bayimba and film Maker Vincenzo Marra will be conducting a film workshop at the Kampala film school in Ggaba.
According to Christiano Civitillo the director Kampala Film school, Uganda has an unexploited enormous potential for the film industry which needs to be harnessed because it involves, photography, videography, acting, arts and culture which can employ a sizable number of youths.
“We are promoting the film industry because of its enormous potential here because film involves many disciplines like videography, art, culture and on Friday we shall be conducting a workshop on film making,” he said.
On Friday evening, Sheraton Hotel will host another Italian gala dinner with the screening of Vincenzo Marra’s La Prima Luce where guests will also be meeting the film director while on Saturday evening, 7 Hills International School will be screening ‘Heidi’ a Children’s film.
This year’s week has attracted a number of sponsors which according to Mr. Domenico, will be financing specific activities of the week