Kampala — THE Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) has launched the first PR Excellence Awards in the country.

The awards announced at a cocktail party at the Protea Hotel in Kampala, attracted an exclusive crowd of key stakeholders in the private sector and PR industry.

The awards are aimed at uplifting the standards of public relations and communications in the country. They will recognise professionalism and leadership in the PR field.

The 13 accolades will be presented to PR and communications practitioners and organisations that showcase exemplary performance in PR.

"We are delighted to introduce these awards and honour exemplary performance in PR and communications. PRAU is fulfilling a long-awaited ambition to visibly and unequivocally identify and celebrate true excellence in the practice of public relations," said Jimmy Kiberu, the PRAU director of programmes.

The awards are open business enterprises, associations, students pursuing PR- related courses, private institutions, government bodies, PR agencies, in-house PR departments and individual practitioners, Cathy Adengo, the PRAU coordination director, said.