Ankara, Turkey: The Government of Uganda has signed a bilateral cultural cooperation agreement with the Government of the Republic of Türkiye, marking a significant milestone in strengthening cultural and creative ties between the two countries.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, by the State Minister for Gender and Culture, Hon. Peace Regis Mutuuzo, at the Yunus Emre Institute in Ankara, a leading Turkish institution dedicated to the promotion of language, culture and the arts.
Under the agreement, Uganda and Türkiye will collaborate across nine domains of the creative and cultural sector, creating opportunities for artists and cultural practitioners to exchange knowledge, build skills and expand their professional reach.
The MoU is expected to benefit filmmakers, musicians, actors, visual artists, culinary and gastronomy practitioners, among other cultural professionals, while strengthening institutional support for cultural development through capacity building and collaborative initiatives.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Hon. Mutuuzo underscored the importance of people-to-people cultural engagement and extended an invitation to her Turkish counterpart to visit Uganda and experience the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
Prof. Abdurrahman Aliy, President of the Yunus Emre Institute, thanked the Government of Uganda for the partnership and pledged the institute’s full commitment to ensuring that the cultures of both countries mutually benefit from the implementation of the MoU.
Following the ceremony, Hon. Mutuuzo paid a courtesy visit to Africa House, an initiative championed by the First Lady of Türkiye to celebrate and promote African cultures.
During the visit, the Minister donated a collection of Ugandan cultural artefacts to Africa House, including a Karamojong stool, ebyanzi (traditional gourds), a spear, endiro (traditional pots), baskets, drums, animal carvings and bikoyi (traditional attire), symbolising Uganda’s rich cultural diversity.
She was received by the Director of Africa House, who guided her through the facility and expressed appreciation for the donation.
The Minister was accompanied by a delegation from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Uganda National Cultural Centre, including Commissioner for Culture and Family Affairs Juliana Naumo Akoryo, Principal Assistant Secretary Ezekiel Kimpi, Principal Culture Officer Hajati Hajara Nalubega, Ms. Barbara Kwaha, and Uganda National Cultural Centre Public Relations Officer Robert Musiitwa.
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