Uganda Wildlife Authority in Mountain Gorilla Campaign Launch
Uganda Wildlife Authority under the guidance of the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry will next week launch an internet-based tourism campaign that will enhance marketing of Uganda as a premium tourism destination to local, regional and international markets.
The campaign, which will be anchored on mountain gorillas as Uganda's flagship tourism attraction, is expected to raise about 100m US$ through the internet and other forms of sponsorships for wildlife conservation. The funds will help boost implementation of the various conservation programs of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Code-named the Friend a Gorilla campaign, it will provide an opportunity to Ugandans and international public to befriend a Ugandan mountain gorilla through the internet-based social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.
Launching of the Friend a Gorilla campaign will be preceded by a series of events which will last one whole week beginning 21st September 2009 when international guests from the corporate world and celebrities from Hollywood in the United States and South Africa arrive in Uganda to track the mountain gorillas.
The celebrities include:
Jason Biggs
Simon Curtis
Nicholas Brendan
Eddie Kay Thomas
Rose Mutene
Hlubi Mmopi
Fared Khimani
The celebrities will on 23rd September 2009 track the newly habituated mountain gorilla family called Nshongi, which is the biggest ever habituated gorilla family in the region. For the celebrities, it will be the very first time to visit Africa and to track the mountain gorillas. They will also engage in various community projects such as giving talks to school children, volunteering at community health centers and visiting women's associations.
In addition, prominent personalities from South Africa associated with the famous Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA) have also confirmed to come.