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In a significant milestone for the African tourism and culinary arts sectors, the First Lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa officially opened the UN tourism forum on Gastronomy in Africa in Victoria Falls on Friday.
The event was attended by notable guests who included the First Ladies of Serbia and Angola, and saw the President of Zimbabwe deliver the keynote address.
“The spread of Zimbabwean cuisine to different nations has attracted a lot of interest, triggering the UN’s interest in developing Gastronomy in Africa, “Mnangagwa said.
She went on to say that the initiative will be a great opportunity for people in Zimbabwe and Africa at large,
“This initiative will create opportunities for mothers and youths to learn from their communities, bringing back memories of our traditional ways of life and encouraging the preparation of traditional dishes.”
She emphasised that the media should take up the goal to promote these programs , ” I urge the media to take advantage of this platform to publicize and promote our indigenous food varieties.
We must educate the public and challenge all Africans to promote our traditional foods.”
The event also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UN Tourism and Zimbabwe’s Tourism Ministry for the establishment of the African International Academy on Culinary Arts. This MOU signifies a collaborative effort to enhance culinary arts education and training across the continent.
Gastronomy tourism is more than just a culinary experience; it is a bridge to the past, a celebration of heritage, and a pathway to economic empowerment for many communities. The efforts led by the First Lady and supported by international partners demonstrate a united front in preserving and promoting Africa’s rich culinary traditions.
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