With the goal of making use of any opportunity that would allow her to serve and benefit her country as well as the continent of Africa, the Egyptian female entrepreneur Nancy Hadi was recently appointed by Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism to serve as the first ever Egyptian Goodwill Ambassador for Uganda’s Tourism in Egypt.
The appointment, which took place on September 18, 2019, came as a result of her wonderful efforts to promote Ugandan tourism and culture in Egypt during the African Cup of Nations which Egypt hosted in Egypt this year.
The Ugandan Minister of State for Tourism, Honorable Godfrey Kiwanda appointed Hadi as a Goodwill Tourism Ambassador during the Ugandan Ministry of Tourism’s 10th Annual Tourism Sector Review Conference, which took place at the Hotel African in Kampala. This important event was attended by many high-level government officials including Uganda’s Prime Minister Honorable Ruhakana Rugunda, Uganda’s Minister of Tourism, Honorable Ephraim Kamuntu, Uganda Tourism Authority (UTB) CEO, Ms. Lilly Ajarova as well as the head of most of Uganda’s tourism agencies.
Hadi’s efforts to promote Ugandan tourism in Egypt during the African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2019) included her organizing an evening celebration on the majestic Nile River in Cairo. The prestigious and first of its kind event titled, ‘Ugandan Night on the Nile’, showcased Uganda culture through Uganda food, coffee, music, videos, paintings by Egyptian artists from Aswan, posters and pictures of Uganda’s mesmerizing sceneries of what Hadi believes is “an unmatched beauty.” “I always believed that Egypt shares a special bond with Uganda. Other than the fact that it is an African country, it is the country where the Nile sees the light, and Egypt is the place where it ends. So, for the two countries in which the blue river begins and ends, a special bond should be formed,” Hadi told Daily News Egypt. Through her company, International Business and Investment Services (IBIS), and under the slogan of Uganda Tourism Board (UTB)’s campaign #VisitUganda, Hadi organized the event where attendees participated in Uganda-related activities. The entrepreneur was born and raised in the United States to Egyptian parents. Hadi earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree in diplomacy and international relations from Seton Hall University.
“Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism viewed the AFCON 2019 as an important international sports event and decided to use this opportunity to introduce and to promote Ugandan tourism in Egypt while also celebrating their national football team, the Ugandan Crane’s journey to AFCON 2019 as well as the team’s wonderful performance. Those efforts also resulted in a wonderful celebration on the same magical river that connects both our nations.” During the delegation’s official trip to Egypt, Hadi also helped organize a number of important meetings for the high level Ugandan delegation led by Hon Kiwanda, and included members of Parliament and members from UTB with the Chamber of Egyptian Tourism companies both in Cairo and Alexandria as well as a prominent pharmaceutical company to promote medical tourism between both countries. Hadi believes that promoting tourism does not happen only through governmental efforts, but it also requires the support of the private sector. Both Egypt and Uganda can mutually benefit from cooperating in promoting both destinations.
“For tourists visiting Uganda from the United States, Europe and most other destinations, they have to fly over Egypt, so it would be wonderful if our two nations could collaborate on developing joint tourism programs that would promote both destinations Egypt and Uganda and would give tourists the opportunity to visit both amazing destinations and this way they would have a richer Africa Experience since both tourism profiles complement each other. In other words, Egypt offers an experience unlike Uganda including the Pyramids, Red Sea and many other highlights and Uganda offers unique landmarks like the source of the Nile and experiences like Gorilla Tracking.”
Hadi was impressed by the kindness and generosity of her hosts in Uganda and was very appreciative of the Senior Member of Parliament’s invitation to visit Uganda, which was clear testimony of Ugandan’s love for their country and dedication to show its beauty and magic to the whole world. This trip was unlike any trip Hadi had previously made, “When someone says it is like stepping into heaven, you might think that they are exaggerating. But the truth is, Uganda is blessed with breathtaking natural beauty; from the surrounding greenery to the mouthwatering fruits, and the incredible wildlife, Uganda has it all.” In addition to the incredible landmarks like the equator and the Source of the Nile, what really won Hadi’s heart was the Ugandan people themselves. They made her feel at home. “They are very generous, kind, sweet, and loving. I did not feel away from home for a second,” she added.
During her visit, Hadi attended a concert that was also attended by President Yoweri Museveni and many high-level government officials. She visited the Parliament, and even attended a session of the tourism committee, She also met with several high level government officials including the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Honorable Florence Kiyingi and introduced the international child abuse prevention program ‘My Body is My Body’ of which Hadi is the Director of Africa and the Middle East. This program teaches young children body safety, and provides them with the tools to detect danger, as well as instructions on who to inform in the case of abuse. Hadi is currently helping Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism with various tourism campaigns to promote Uganda, The Pearl of Africa, in Egypt by showcasing the beauty of the country to Egyptians and encourage them to visit the Source of the Nile and see for themselves.
