KIU, Main Campus - On Tuesday, March 5th, 2024, the Leading Private University in Uganda, Kampala International University will host the Mental Health Dialogue with the topic, 'Plight of Persons With Mental Health Challenges' as part of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) from March 4th-9th.

The Keynote Address will be given by Hon. Janet Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, while the welcome remarks will be delivered by Prof. Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, the Vice-Chancellor KIU, Hon. Dr. Abbas Agaba, the Secretary-General AAYC and Hon. Dr. Abdulhaddi Lahweej, the President AAYC.

Also expected to speak at the event are Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth, Aceng Minister of Health, Hon. Amongi Betty Ongom Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, and the Director General of Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

The Lead Presentation will be given by Prof. Elmostafa Haddiya, Professor of Social Psychology at Mohamed Ben Zayed University, UAE. Other presenters are Ms. Liz Kakooza, Youth mental Health Activist, Dr. Juliet Nakku, Executive Director of Butabika Mental Hospital, Mr. Valerio De Divitiis, Global Sports Program Coordinator,  United Nations Office for Counterterrorism (UNOCT), and Hon. Dr. Erisa Rutahigwa, MP Rukungiri Municipality.

For this year's anniversary activities, AAYC is partnering with ICESCO under the theme "Youth, Peace, Culture and Wellbeing". This is designed to "highlight the synergy between culture, sports, good health, and the promotion of the culture of peace and good leadership among the young people."

About Afro-Arab Youth Council

The Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) is an International Organization that brings together young people of the African and Arab nations. It was formed in 2004 in Khartoum at a gathering of over 300 youth from the African and Arab regions with the major objective of taking advantage of the existing commonalities between Africans and Arabs to bring about unity, peace, and development in these two regions.

Following the resolution of the 2208 Afro-Arab Youth meeting at Munyonyo Kampala to have the organization hosted in Uganda, the AAYC entered a Host Country Agreement with the Government of Uganda and H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda as its patron and custodian of the AAYC secretariat. The AAYC is involved with several national, regional, and international organizations, cultural, educational, and other relevant institutions in pursuit of its objectives.