The government of Uganda in partnership with the Italian government is preparing for the centenary since the ascent of Mount. Rwenzori in 1906 by the then Italian
Duke Luigi da Savoia of Abruzzi.
A back ground to the Rwenzori Mountains is revealed in the writings of Ptolemy in AD 160 who wrote of these ‘Mountains of the Moon’ as the source of the river Nile. The mystery was finally solved centuries later with the expedition of the duke who carried out a complete topographical, survey of the 5109m snow capped mountains.
The geographical, astronomical, geodetical and meteorological findings of the mountains are contained in two bulky appendices in the official volume of the
expedition, Il Ruwenzori: Viaggio di esplorazione prime ascesioni (Hopepli, Milano 1908).
As we prepare for the centenary, the Italian Embassy in Uganda together with stake holders like Uganda Tourist Board, Mountain Clubs of Uganda, Uganda Wildlife Authority e.t.c have planned a series of activities including Art and anthropological exhibitions, travel exhibitions, scientific conferences, Winter Olympics, BIT Milan tourism Borse from 18th-21st Feb, 2006, the highlight being an expedition code named in the ‘Footsteps of the Duke’ in which a delegation from the region of Piedmont led by the descendants of the duke are expected for the celebrations, culminating with the climb on 18th June 2006 exactly a century later.
For more details on the centenary celebrations visit our event website on: www.rwenzoriabruzzi.com
