Public relations officials meet to discuss profession

More than 200 public relations professionals are expected to descend on Jinja City for the East African Public Relations (PR) Summit between November 6 and November 10.

The Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) says they expect between 200 and 300 PR professionals from East Africa.
Ms Tina Wamala, the president of PRAU, told Daily Monitor yesterday that the PR professionals will discuss emerging issues affecting the profession, which has now grown in leaps and bounds and it is beginning to feel the effects of emerging trends like artificial intelligence, creative storytelling, the distinction between public relations and marketing.

“The summit will be attended by ministers and we want them to realise the importance of public relations and how it can support East African Community integration. We feel this is the greatest opportunity to speak about the challenges we face. It will enhance the skills and sharpen the knowledge of the participants,” she said.

She added that at the end of the summit, which will take place at Jinja Nile Resort Hotel, they will also recognise excellence and great public relations work. Because of the ministerial representation they anticipate to receive from Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia and Nigeria, they also hope to establish a communications commission for the East African Community, as well as pick lessons from Nigeria and Zambia, which have been able to come up with an Act of Parliament for their national public relations associations.

The inaugural East Africa Public Relations Week has attracted sponsorship from institutions like the Deposits Protection Fund, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Stanbic Bank, Nile Breweries, Uganda Red Cross Society, Uganda Airlines, Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority and Nation Media Group, who are the main media sponsors.

Ms Elizabeth Namaganda, the head of marketing at NMG-U, thanked PRAU for always choosing NMG as the main media partner to support their activities whenever they have them. She said as the largest media house in East Africa, they are going to provide extensive coverage of the summit to reach as many audiences as possible.

“We thank you for always choosing us as your main media partner and we think this is maybe because we have the biggest media outlets in the region,” she said.

Mr Kenneth Agutamba, the communications officer at Stanbic Bank, said the summit is an opportunity for the communications officers to inspire hope among the East African Community citizens by demystifying the description of East African Community members states as failed states because of successful companies that are operating there.