Tendai Rupapa in Victoria Falls

United Nations Tourism Secretary-General Mr Zurab Pololikashvli and his entourage paid a courtesy call on First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa following the resounding success of the first-ever United Nations Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy in Africa at the weekend.

The event was hosted by Zimbabwe in honour of Dr Mnangagwa’s exploits in promoting Zimbabwean cuisine.

At a meeting held in a highly cordial atmosphere, guests showed great appreciation for the success of Dr Mnangagwa with whom they discussed many issues, including the best design for the school of culinary arts scheduled for construction in Victoria Falls.

The school will be named Africa International Culinary Arts Academy under the patronage of Dr Mnangagwa.

The First Lady underscored the importance of putting Education 5.0 into practice during the design and construction of the facility, in a bid to promote skills-based education.

Deliberations during the meeting focused on various topics regarding the advancement of gastronomy tourism in Africa and beyond.

“People were asking what is gastronomy, so with this forum, we have sent a message. So many people now know what gastronomy tourism is,” Dr Mnangagwa said.

Mr Pololikashvli said gastronomy tourism encompassed a lot.

“From our point of view, it’s not only gastronomy, it’s a culture. What is culture? Culture is architecture, culture is music, culture is gastronomy and everything is culture.

“People who are travelling call it cultural tourism so everything is involved. And for the culinary school, we need to make a landmark or iconic building and it is up to us to decide together,” he said.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi said the subdivision of the land on which the school will be constructed was already complete.

“There is a map that we gave His Excellency when he did the groundbreaking that tells you where everything will be; the hospital for medical tourism, the financial corridor; the sporting area; the museum, we have all that and then the school,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa spoke about the need for a cultural village where trained students would serve people

“In San Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain, they have that aspect which is similar to what we want to have here. The building itself is iconic. They have everything inside there.

“They have a restaurant where students under training will be practising. In addition, we can have this cultural village because we have land here,” said Minister Rwodzi.

Minister Rwodzi said all ministers, who attended the forum, said they would tell their First Ladies to emulate Dr Mnangagwa’s works, especially on gastronomy.

Mr Pololikashvli and Dr Mnangagwa proposed to invite all African First Ladies for a gastronomy summit in a few months to meet in a country to be advised.

The UN Tourism boss extended a special invitation to Dr Mnangagwa to be a guest speaker at the next edition of the United Nations Tourism World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism to be held soon.

Later in the day, Dr Mnangagwa took her delegation comprising Mr Pololikashvli, his wife Tamara, Angolan First Lady Mrs Ana Dias Lourenço and representatives of other African First Ladies on a sunset boat cruise where they had an appreciation of the country’s splendour and some of the wild animals the country is endowed with. – Herald