The European Union in partnership with the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency in its joint mandate with the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, has today announced the return of season 2 of its business acceleration project for young entrepreneurs in the Ugandan film industry.
The Project, ‘Opportunities Are Here’ (OAH), launched in 2023, casts a spotlight on its mandate of boosting the Ugandan film industry to provide young talents in Uganda with customized mentoring, networking opportunities and media visibility to create new export prospects while enhancing the trade capacity within the film industry.
European Union Ambassador to Uganda, H.E Jan Sadek, expressed delight with the launch of Season 2 of the innovative project.
“I am thrilled to see the launch of Season 2 of this new initiative for training young people in filmmaking and production. It’s a powerful platform for nurturing creativity, empowering talent, and fostering cultural exchange,” he said.
Phiona Bukulu the country lead at International Trade Center noted that the return of OAH is evident of the current gap in terms of financing, talent acquisition and management in the Ugandan film industry.
“When we launched our first cohort of the ‘Opportunities Are Here’ business accelerator programme, we were overwhelmed with the reception from several content creators. It however showed us the gap in the industry that needs to be closed if Ugandan filmmakers are to compete favorably with international filmmakers,” she said, noting that Season 1 of the project had nurtured, equipped and trained talented filmmakers who dared to submit their applications.
She encouraged “skeptical and yet talented” Ugandan filmmakers to embrace this program as it is a game-changer. “I would like to urge Ugandan filmmakers that may have missed out on season 1 to take advantage of season 2 of this unique program. Through the Opportunities are Here, filmmakers are trained in areas pertaining to talent acquisition and management, professional skills development and partnership with key stakeholders,” she said.
A call for applications is currently open, and all content creators interested in scaling up their talent and skills in producing quality film products are advised to apply via https://t.co/0BEMO9AHxg to be part of the Opportunities are Here business accelerator program Season 2.
About OAH –Opportunities are Here (OAH) is a Youth Empowerment Project in the film industry by the International Trade Centre funded by the European Union (EU). The project offers youth interested in participating: professional skills development (through online training and incubation services), linkages and networking with existing industry experts and visibility through the talent show format.
About the International Trade Center.
The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transitioning economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
ITC offers small businesses, policymakers and business support organizations in developing countries an array of trade-related practical training, advisory services, and a wealth of business intelligence data.
We help micro, small and medium-sized businesses become more competitive and help to create better regulatory environments for trade. We are empowering women, youth and refugees through jobs. Through our programmes, projects, services and data, we are helping drive digital connectivity and a global transition to green, sustainable trade.
