UN Tourism successfully held its inaugural Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, marking a significant step forward for both the continent and the host nation. The Forum also highlighted Zimbabwe’s commitment to leveraging gastronomy as a catalyst for sustainable tourism development across the country and Africa.
Under the patronage of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Dr. Auxillia C. Mnangagwa, and in collaboration with the Basque Culinary Center, the forum brought together around 200 delegates from 33 countries, including 11 Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Opening the landmark event, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “It is only right we now meet in one of the world’s most exciting gastronomy regions – Africa! We leave Victoria Falls with a roadmap that will enable us to build an Agenda for Gastronomy Tourism in Africa, to ensure that we do work to make gastronomy tourism benefit people and planet.”
Leveraging the power of gastronomy
The discussions at the forum emphasized the transformative power of gastronomy tourism in enhancing local communities and economies throughout Africa. Participants explored the role of gastronomy in elevating Africa’s presence on the global tourism stage, as well as strategies for integrating gastronomy into national tourism policies. There was a strong focus on showcasing Africa’s rich culinary heritage to the world, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among chefs, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Participants discussed the need for effective funding and the significance of combining tradition, innovation, and quality to create unique food tourism experiences. The forum also highlighted the importance of changing mindsets to value local gastronomy and instil pride in Africa’s diverse culinary traditions. This includes working with the African diaspora in promoting African cuisine globally, as well as stepping up education and vocational training.
Promoting innovation in gastronomy
The event also featured UN Tourism Regional Gastronomy Pitch Challenge – driving innovation in Africa, in which five entrepreneurs presented innovative solutions to improve the gastronomy and tourism value chains. Gracia Bvute from Zimbabwe won the competition with her project Pabvute Gourmet. On the occasion, UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of Zimbabwe recognized the winners of the Youth Photo Contest “A Journey through Zimbabwe´s Gastronomy” – Nokutenda Tombindo, 1st place winner with the photo titled “MAGURU (TRIPE)” and David Sadindi, 2nd place winner with the photo titled “Family meal (sadza nemufushwa)”.
Additionally, four new African UN Tourism Ambassadors for Responsible Tourism for their efforts in promoting national cuisines and advocating for sustainable culinary practices: Chef Yohanis Gebreyesus from Ethiopia, Chef Adenike Adefila from Nigeria, Chef Mounir El Arem from Tunisia, and Chef Carl Joshua Ncube from Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe to host Academy for Culinary Arts
In addition, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding marked the establishment of the Zimbabwe International Tourism Academy for the Culinary Arts, in partnership with UN Tourism. This initiative underscores a strong commitment to skills development and education, reinforced by the announcement of 100 UN Tourism Academy online scholarships aimed at nurturing culinary talent across the continent.
The second edition of the Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa will be held in Tanzania.
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