UBC PARTICIPATES S IN A RELIGIOUS TOURIST GUIDE TRAINING

From April 15, 2024, two members of the Uganda Buddhist Centre participated in a two-week Religious Tourist Guides Training.  The training was organized by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Confederation of Uganda Tourism Association (COUTA). 

The training aimed at systematically nurturing and equipping a cadre of dynamic youth with essential tour guiding knowledge, principles and ethical standards to effectively lead religious tours in Uganda. The training brought over 50 youths together from across several religious traditions in Uganda conducted regionally. Each religious organization was allocated time to make presentation on the rich history and relevant faith information to the trainees. 

During the training, two representatives were invited from UBC to make presentations on Buddhist faith in Uganda with emphasis on the origins and historical accounts of Buddhism, rituals and ceremonies, distribution of Buddhism in Uganda and Africa, ethical guidelines, and the contribution of Buddhism faith tourism in Uganda. 

Towards the end of the training, participants visited various religious sites including the Uganda Buddhist Centre, the Bahai House of Worship, St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, Mapeera Nabulagala Catholic Church, the Uganda National Mosque/Gaddafi Mosque and many others. The visits helped participants to appreciate the architectural and historical significance of these sites. Despite the theological differences that may separate them, participants found common ground in their shared humanity and reverence for the sacred. Through dialogue, reflection, and mutual respect, they discovered that beneath the surface, the essence of all faiths is rooted in love, compassion, and a search for purpose of life.