Report ICOB Meeting,
August 3-7, 2006
Hilton Suites, Markham Ontario.
Greater Metropolitan Toronto Area
Organizing Committee.
Peter Bikangaga Maureen Bikangaga Rose Kazibwe
Jackson Bwegyesa Jacqueline Kaweesa Ben Begumisa
Florence Mulera Stella Sight
Muniini K. Mulera Annette Night
Nkunda Kabateraine Palesa Kabateraine
Silver Tweyongyere Esther Tumusiime
The 2006 ICOB meeting was held at the upscale Hilton Suites Hotel, in the lovely town of Markham, a suburb of the great city of Toronto. Attendees arrived from all parts of North America, Europe and Africa. The registration and settling in of guests went very smoothly and there were lots of opportunities for everyone to make new acquaintances and renew old ones.
Plenary sessions started on August 4, 2006 with an opening ceremony at which everyone was welcomed by the President of the Kigezi Canada Association, Inc., with accompanying comments on the purposes of ICOB in the cultural context of Banyakigezi. The invited guest speakers then followed and included
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ICOB annual progress report.
Dr Frank Byamugisha
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Report from the Kigezi Education Fund.
Dr Eustace Betubiza |
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Keynote address: Becoming a greater stakeholder in the socio-economic transformation of Kigezi
Dr. David Himbara
[read by Dr. Muniini K. Mulera] |
Open Forum on the Kigezi Education Fund.
Ms Jeannette Bisamunyu (Moderator) |
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Kigezi Twimukye
Dr. Eustacius Betubiza (Moderator) |
ICOB Resolutions & future Directions
Ms Juliet Reid (Moderator) |
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Election of ICOB Board members.
Ms Beatrice Hamujuni Smith |
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ICOB board meeting |
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The following day (August 5, 2006) was devoted to socializing. There was a trip to downtown Toronto where the world’s largest Caribbean festival - Caribana was being held. In the afternoon those who could pry themselves away from the spectacle of Caribana were invited to a barbecue where there were plenty of refreshments as well as fun and games.
On Sunday there were opportunities to attend Sunday worship services and in the evening we had our annual ICOB Banquet. The Gala banquet was well attended by registrants as well as well wishers from the local Toronto community. Guests were served a sumptuous dinner and were entertained to thrilling performances of traditional dances. These included guest performances from famous Gideon Ampeire, a native of Kigezi currently living in Connecticut, and his group who wowed the audience with his repertoire of traditional dances and songs from all corners of Uganda.
There were also performances of Kiganda dances from the Toronto troupe, Okusooma and Ekitaguriro. One of the highlights of the evening was the entoore dancers who hypnotized and enchanted the entire audience. The events were capped off with a disco dance. Throughout the evening fundraising activities were carried out and we were able to raise the sum total of
$17,000.
Delegates departed the following day.
