Charles Romel Banda launches Pamodzi Carnival 2017

Notice: Undefined index: catFilterList in /home/zambi/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-likes/api.php on line 243

By Derrick Sinjela

TOURISM and Arts Minister Charles Romel Banda delightfully launched the third edition 2017 Pamodzi Carnival at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lusaka with a reminder of the initiative being pegged as a platform on which to coalesce Zambia’s cultural dances, handicrafts and traditional food.

During the launch graced by Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) Chief Executive Officer Felix Chaila, Minister Banda described the annual Pamodzi Carnival as a poignant arena on which to show case heritage from all the ten provinces.

Zambia now has 10 provinces namely Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern and Western boasting of remarkable and incomparable cultural dances, handicrafts and traditional food.

“This carnival will improve the visibility of traditional music, local dance, traditional foods and handicrafts as a living museum of Zambia’s diverse heritage,” an optimistic Banda said.

In a quest to diversify the Zambian mono economy, Banda restated that the Prtesident Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Vice-President Inonge Mutukwa-Wina has prioritised tourism as one of its key sectors to drive development and stimulation of growth.

As highlighted by President Lungu in the recently launched Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), Minister Banda says diversification is key toward mitigating poverty.

“As you are all awre, our country is endowed with abundant natural resources and diverse culture which we should use prudently, if we are to transform the arts and culture into money spinners for our country. There are countries whose economies have thrived in the arts and culture sector and we have recorded remarkable economic growth. It is imperative for us to learn from their best practices if our country is to similarly succeed,” Minister Banda, a veteran broadcaster and communication expert advised.

Miniister Banda urged the Ministry of Tourism and Arts and stakeholders in the arts and culture industry to utilise various platforms that are readily available for Zambia to learn from and explore best practices towards diversification of tourism offering from the nature-based to cultural tourism.

Minister Banda says the Zambian Government is ready and resolved to providing an enabling environment for the private sector to invest and do business in the tourism industry.

“There is no doubt that the participation of the private sector will enable the sector to realise its full potential for job creation, revenue generation, foreign exchange earnings, as well as being a catalyst for rural development and entrepreprenuership,” Minister Banda said.

Minister Banda is confident that the creation of the Pamodzi Carnival will help transform Zambia into a competitive destination of choice because of its uniqueness.

However, Tourism and Arts Minister Banda observed that the hospitality product will only succeed when constantly supported by marketing programmes to make it reasonable with target market, at home and abroad.

Minister Banda says the Seventieth General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 2015 declared 2017 as the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development, being implemented by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), an agency responsible for tourism and its member states.

Minister Banda says Zambia as a member of the UNWTO has lined a number of activities which include “Declaration of South Luangwa National Park as a Sustainable National Wildlife National Park, ‘Hosting of an International Conference on Promoting Sustainable Tourism, as a tool for Inclusive Growth and Community Engagement in Africa; and flagging of the Pamodzi Carnival.”

Minister Banda is delighted that the Zambian events will be graced by UNWTO Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai, who will be in Zambia from 15^th to 18^th November 2017.

The 2017 Pamodzi Carnival will attract local cultural groups and Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Seychelles, in a spirit of promoting oneness just as the word ‘Pamodzi’ literally translated as ‘Togetherness.’