The European Union held an art exhibition at Alliance Francaise Kampala, opening on December 6, showcasing art created by 46 youth finalists who participated in a youth art competition in West Nile. The campaign, launched during the 2023 World Refugee Day celebrations, targeted three refugee settlements, namely Rhino Camp, Imvepi and Bidi Bidi, and was jointly executed by Faces Up Uganda, a non-profit organization empowering youth through art.

The campaign elicited participation from 682 young people between the ages of 8 and 21. Art experts took the young artists through guided sessions to create art along specific themes including empowerment and self-reliance, environmental protection, governance and leadership, and access to justice and protection for peaceful and prosperous communities.

“We are passionate about empowering young people to become active citizens and strongly believe in the power of art as a platform to give a voice to young people”, said EU Ambassador Jan Sadek. “With incredible creativity, this exhibition portrays stories of hope from the youth of West Nile”.

At the event, the EU announced the top three winners who will receive a fully paid for mentorship from renowned visual artist Kwizera at his art studio based in Kampala.

European Union Delegation to Uganda

“We are delighted to offer the top 3 winners the opportunity to undergo an accelerated art mentorship with celebrated visual artist Kwizera, who will provide hands on training to these young aspiring artists”, Ambassador Sadek added.

The support of the EU to the Government is crucial to provide life-saving humanitarian and longer-term development assistance to refugees and host communities in Uganda. Since 2016, the EU has committed over €400 million in development and humanitarian assistance to the national refugee response, working in a number of sectors benefitting both refugees and host communities.

According to UNHCR data, Uganda currently hosts over 1.5 million refugees, the majority of whom are children facing various challenges including compromised mental health, the threat of lost childhood, lack of access to quality education and services, as well as shifting family dynamics and responsibilities.

“Young people are disproportionately affected by the refugee crisis, exposing them to various risks. Providing safe spaces where they can refine their artistic skills and also express themselves allows them to channel their energy and creativity,” said Ambassador Sadek.

“It was exciting to take part in the competition! I was guided by art experts in Imvepi and I got to use professional art supplies. I am grateful to the EU and I hope to continue to express my creativity through art in the future,” said Meta Richard, one of the emerging winners.

The focus of initiatives funded by the EU in refugee hosting districts addresses a wide spectrum of sectors. This includes support to skilling and livelihoods to promote income-generating activities and build resilience. Additionally, support to services strengthens local governance and access to education, water and sanitation. The EU also has targeted intervention to combat increased environmental degradation and accelerate access to justice and protection for vulnerable groups.

“At Faces Up, we believe in the power of art to empower young people from underserved communities. We are pleased to collaborate with the EU on this initiative, which has provided the youth with art supplies and artistic mentorship. We hope it will inspire them to nurture their passion and pursue art as a viable career path,” said Emmanuel Ssekitto, Team Leader, Faces Up Uganda.

Following the Opening Ceremony, the exhibition was made open to the public. The EU will also showcase the art in a Virtual Exhibition online, accessed via https://store.facesup.org/eu-youth-art-competition/

For more information, please contact:

• EU Delegation to Uganda, Emmanuel Gyezaho, Emmanuel-Davies.Gyezaho@eeas.europa.eu, +256 756 719882
• Faces Up Uganda, Emmanuel Ssekitto, facesup2016@gmail.com, +256705859110

Background:

According to UNHCR data, Uganda currently hosts 1,520,966 refugees. New arrivals have continued to enter the country mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan. Since the beginning of the year, Uganda has received 34,436 refugees from DRC (16,191) and South Sudan (18,245).

The South Sudanese refugee situation continues to be characterized as a children’s crisis, with over 520,000 South Sudanese children registered as refugees and asylum-seekers in Uganda.  As of June 2023, 66,478 children have been identified with diverse specific needs. This comprises 57,745 unaccompanied or separated children (UASC) and 8,733 children facing various risks such as child labor, teenage pregnancy, child-headed households, and other vulnerabilities.

Uganda is also one of the co-conveners for this year’s Global Refugee Forum, which will be held in Geneva in December 2023, to bring together global leaders and stakeholders to discuss concrete solutions to address the pressing needs of refugees and host communities.

This activity was financed under the EU Trust Fund for Africa. Over the past 5 years, EUR 82M has been committed to work with the GoU in a number of sectors benefitting both refugees and host communities through this financial instrument. The key thematic areas covered by the EU Trust Fund are: (1) livelihoods and skills development, (2) governance, (3) JLOS, and (4) disaster risk reduction and environment protection. The EUTF is being implemented in both West Nile and the South West.