By Mata Press Service

More than half a century after thousands of Ugandans arrived in Canada as refugees, members of the African nation's diaspora are gathering in Vancouver to celebrate what they have built in their new home and to plan what comes next.

The inaugural National Alliance of Ugandan Canadian Associations (NAUCA) Cultural and Trade Convention, running Oct. 9 to 11, will bring together Ugandan Canadians, entrepreneurs, community leaders, diplomats, performers and Canadian businesses for three days of cultural events, investment discussions and community building.

"This is a celebration of Uganda in Canada," said NAUCA president and board chair Justus Mirembe. "It is about bringing our people together, celebrating where we come from and showing what Ugandans are contributing to Canada while building stronger connections with Uganda."

The convention coincides with Uganda's 64th Independence Day on Oct. 9 and Canada's Thanksgiving weekend. Organizers hope it will become a regular national meeting place for a diaspora spread across several provinces.

The theme, "Building Prosperity Through Community Investments," reflects the convention's dual focus on culture and commerce, Mirembe said.

He said the idea of a national umbrella group took shape two years ago, when Ugandans from across Canada met during the 2024 Thanksgiving weekend to discuss how communities separated by thousands of kilometres could speak with a stronger collective voice.

"This convention today demonstrates exactly what happens when dedicated Ugandans are determined to achieve greatness," Mirembe said in his convention message.

NAUCA has identified immigration, health and education as its three pillars for future work, while seeking to strengthen links among communities from Vancouver and Edmonton to Toronto, Ottawa and Charlottetown.

Mirembe acknowledged that political and social developments in Uganda have at times divided members of the diaspora and said the Vancouver convention is intended to rise above those divisions.

"This is a convention for all Ugandans, regardless of their political beliefs, ideology or views about what is happening back home," he said. "People can have different opinions and still come together as Ugandans.”

Convention chair Henry Luyombya, describes NAUCA as non-partisan and non-religious, creating space for "Ugandans of every background to connect, contribute, and thrive."

The Ugandan story in Canada goes back decades, but one of its defining moments came in 1972.

On Aug. 4 of that year, dictator Idi Amin ordered tens of thousands of people of South Asian descent to leave Uganda, giving many just 90 days to abandon homes, businesses and property accumulated over generations.

Canada mounted an emergency immigration operation in response that led to the resettlement of more than 6,000 Ugandan Asians, many of them Ismailis, who went on to build new lives, businesses and communities across the country.

One of those success stories is Vancouver businessman Sam Hirji, founder of Samco Printers, now one of the city’s long-established printing companies.

Beyond business, Hirji has been active in charitable causes and the Ismaili community. He has supported the Vancouver Police Pipe Band for years, which eventually led to his being made an honorary member.

"We came to Canada as refugees with very little, and Canada gave us the opportunity to start again," Hirji said. "Our generation built businesses, raised families, created jobs and tried to give back to the country that welcomed us.

“To now see Ugandans coming together in Vancouver to celebrate our heritage and look at new opportunities between Canada and Uganda is very meaningful. It reminds us where we came from, but it also asks what the next generation is going to build."

The economic relationship between Canada and Uganda remains relatively modest, leaving plenty of room to grow.

The latest bilateral trade figures published on the federal government's Canada-Uganda relations page show two-way merchandise trade of $69.1 million in 2022, consisting of $36.5 million in Canadian exports to Uganda and $32.6 million in Ugandan goods coming to Canada. Canadian exports included aircraft and spacecraft parts, textiles and cereals, while Uganda supplied coffee, tea, vanilla beans, plant cuttings and fish.

Uganda's government is increasingly looking to its diaspora as another source of capital, expertise and international business connections. It has launched a diaspora app and a global webinar series to keep Ugandans abroad engaged.

Bagonza Mohammed, Uganda's senior presidential adviser and head of diaspora affairs, said that Uganda wants to expand its economy from about US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040, with agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, technology and creative industries among the areas targeted for growth.

He said Ugandans living abroad bring professional skills, international experience, technology and networks that can connect opportunities in Uganda with markets and investors overseas.

"Culture can also be a bridge for trade and tourism," Mohammed said, pointing to Uganda's products, destinations, food, languages and creative talent as potential links to the Canadian market.

Allan Kajik, Uganda's acting high commissioner to Canada, describes the Ugandan community in Canada as "a vast reservoir of knowledge, skills, and economic potential."

He urged the diaspora to mentor young people, develop business partnerships and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

The occasion is also being recognized in New Westminster, where Mayor Patrick Johnstone has proclaimed Oct. 9 as Independence Day of the Republic of Uganda.

The proclamation marks the first time the city has formally extended that recognition to the Uganda High Commission and highlights the contributions of Ugandan residents to New Westminster's social and cultural life.

“This is about bringing Ugandans together and showing what is possible when we work as one community,” said Mirembe, who received a citation signed by former prime minister Justin Trudeau recognizing 20 years of service to the Government of Canada.

“We have built something important in Canada, and now we want to build on it.”