By Musa Makina
ASPIRING Member of Parliament for Mzilikazi-Mpopoma, Pardon Tapfumaneyi has made a move to ensure Zimbabwe takes full advantage of its current Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairmanship to strengthen the country’s cultural diplomatic ties.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa last month assumed the rotational chairmanship of SADC during the regional body’s summit.
He took over the post from Angolan President Joao Lourenco at a ceremony held at the new Mt Hampden Parliament building in Harare.
With many economists and political analysts indicating that the regional chairmanship was the opportune time for Zimbabwe to strengthen its economic development through various ties, Tapfumanei views it as a timely opportunity to expand cultural diplomacy.
The UK based politician said cultural diplomacy was one of the major keys to unlock political stalemates across the globe
“As a member of the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy (ICD), a prestigious organization founded in United States of America (USA) with an aim to promote peace, cultural understanding and exchange in various fields, I would like to begin by congratulating President Mnangagwa for assuming the SADC chairmanship for its something that is good for our nation and our region,” Tapfuma told The Zambezi Times.
“As an institute we are trying to see how we can capitalise on the chairmanship from a cultural and diplomacy perspective, locally and regionally. We hope from this chairmanship Zimbabwe will develop in many facets and the future.”
Tapfumanei also laid out the vision of the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy.
“I am excited to announce to Zimbabwe about the institute of cultural diplomacy which I am part of. It was founded in America and also is based in Germany. Last week we had a chance to have a summit that involved a number of stakeholders. The Institute of Cultural Diplomacy involves people from all walks of life from leaders from different countries.
“It has more than 45 former heads of states and governments, some working for the United Nations.
So the institute deals with several facets which include arts, music, sports, business, economics, science, literature, history and religion; it’s all embraced within cultural diplomacy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tapfumaneyi said plans were in motion to establish the African Chapter of ICD as a way to foster peace and harmony among diverse African communities through use of culture.
“We have since been given the rights to establish an African chapter of ICD, I am pleased that I will be one of those directors that will be working in that portfolio. One of the people who will be heading the chapter is also a Zimbabwean.
“However, the key thing is bringing diplomacy as a way of fostering global peace and harnessing harmony in our different communities, in our different nations. Cultural Diplomacy is soft power and is one of the major keys to unlock political stalemates across the globe.
“So we are excited by this SADC chairmanship because one of the things we want to do is a number of events like conferences, thematic sessions, which deal with global peace that can affect cultural diplomacy in different nations,” he said.
