The 15th edition of Africa week was held at the UNESCO head office in Paris from 22 to 25 May 2018. It was an unforgettable three days where African culture was exhibited by 54 countries and for the first time Zimbabwe participated by bringing arts and crafts from Zimbabwe to showcase and promote its local creative industries. Zimbabwean foods, arts, crafts were on display from all provinces.
It was the highlight of Africa week 2018 as it showed that Zimbabwe was truly open for business by showing its cultural face at this prestigious global event.
The food, arts and crafts by women were the main subject of interaction with the Director General of UNESCO who described the exhibition as the hallmark of African culture and described the products as being exquisite and worthy to be found in the best stores in Paris and the world.
The DG paid a glowing tribute to the Zimbabwean women’s showcase for the tremendous work they were doing to promote Zimbabwean culture on the global stage. This exhibition promoted gender equality and the participation of women in nation building.
According to the Convener of the Zimbabwe Women’s Showcase at UNESCO Africa week, Ms. Tsitsi Machingauta “Zimbabwe’s participation is intended to promote and showcase the countries rich cultural diversity of the Zimbabwean people to the world and to promote cultural and intellectual exchange and deepen relations and open up possibilities for increasing trade and development partnership between Zimbabwe and the countries accredited to UNESCO”.
The 3-day event ended with a dinner were all participating African countries prepared their traditional foods. Zimbabwe shined through with a wide selection of traditional foods which included Baobab Maheu, rice with peanut butter, Rapoko sadza, Road runner in a tomato sauce, chilli gizzard and beef kebabs, pumpkin leaves with wild mushrooms, goat tripe wrapped with intestines (zvinyendze), Madora (Mupane worms), Kapenta and Chimodho cup cakes for desert.
The Zimbabwe Women’s Showcase was sponsored by Touch of Grace Emporium, CBZ Holdings, Women’s Farming Syndicate and supported by the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.