Vibrant university public dialogue to mark EU and Uganda Golden Jubilee
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Uganda and the youth-led NGO Inside Diplomacy, partnered with Cavendish University Uganda (CUU) to host the inaugural high-level public lecture commemorating the 50th anniversary of the EU-Uganda partnership.
The event, held on April 9, 2026, at the Cavendish University Library, broke the mold of traditional diplomatic summits by placing students and young diplomats at the center of the conversation.
Under the theme “The EU’s Foreign Policy Goals, Ambitions, Achievements and Prospects: Reflections on 50 years of the EU-Uganda Partnership,” the gathering featured an exclusive fireside chat and panel discussion with H.E. Jan Sadek, the EU Ambassador to Uganda, alongside youth representatives from the EU Youth Sounding Board and the African Union.
Inside Diplomacy/2026
Ambassador Sadek traced the history of the creation of the EU, binding European sovereign states through shared law, common market and integration of power.
Unlike standard lectures where dignitaries speak to the audience, the programme was designed for dialogue. The centerpiece of the afternoon was the “Talk to the Ambassador” panel session, where students did not just listen—they interrogated the successes and failures of five decades of cooperation in trade, regional security, and social development.
Cavendish University/2026
The golden jubilee was marked by a symbolic cake-cutting ceremony, with Ambassador Sadek joining university administrators and the Inside Diplomacy team to celebrate five decades of EU-Uganda relations. The moment was followed by a brief press briefing, where the Ambassador fielded questions from student journalists and mainstream media alike.
Inside Diplomacy/2026
In a symbolic nod to Uganda’s economic backbone, the event culminated in a “Coffee Diplomacy” networking session, sponsored by a Ugandan youth beneficiary of the EU Cocoa & Coffee Value Chain Development Project, Victoria Bagaya.
Attendees networked over locally sourced coffee, providing a relaxed backdrop for students to secure mentorships and career guidance directly from EU officials and Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives.
Cavendish University/2026
“We are proud to have been the first university in Uganda to host this series,” said the Vice Chancellor of Cavendish University Uganda, Dr Olive Sabiiti. “Our Faculty of Socio-Economic Sciences is dedicated to bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world diplomatic practice. This was not just a lecture; it was a launchpad for Uganda’s next generation of diplomats.”
