Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
PERMANENT representatives to the United Nations have hailed Zimbabwe as a prime tourist destination with a strong civilisational history that speaks to rich culture and traditions that should continue to inspire the present generation of Africans to aim higher.
The permanent representatives visited the Great Zimbabwe Monument on Sunday and were left spellbound by the engineering ingenuity of Africans who built the stone structures around the 12th century using the wealth from rapidly expanding trade.
Drawn from several countries, the permanent representatives were in the country at a time Zimbabwe continues on its global diplomatic charm offensive as Harare seeks a berth on the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for 2027 and 2028.
Speaking after a tour of the monuments, the deputy permanent representative of the Tuvalu Mission to the UN, Mr Taniela Siose, described Zimbabwe as a prime tourist destination.
Mr Siose said his delegation was charmed by the sophistication of the Great Zimbabwe monument, noting that it was tangible proof of ancient intelligence in prehistoric Africans.
He said that while Western civilisation was advancing, forbears of Africans had a rich culture and heritage founded on ancient intelligence.
“The cohort of diplomats from across regional representation is at Great Zimbabwe on a familiarisation tour of Zimbabwe as a country, and we are very grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe,” said Mr Siose.
“What we have seen here (at Great Zimbabwe) further confirms that Zimbabwe is a prime tourist attraction.
“What we have seen is so spectacular and is proof enough that the real AI is not artificial intelligence but ancient intelligence.”
According to Mr Siose, the Great Zimbabwe monument will forever be tangible proof that Africans were advanced people even before the advent of Western civilisation.
“The structure (Great Zimbabwe monument) was built many years ago, and we have come to appreciate and admire this. This place is really attractive to tourists who come to see how some African societies fortified their cities to protect their people,” added Mr Siose.
“Great Zimbabwe is a massive structure that was built without modern tools, but there was a lot of cutting of rocks, and this is proof that a lot was happening during that time.”
Mr Siose said Africa’s development into an advanced civilisation was clearly disrupted along the way.
“Today, when we look at Great Zimbabwe, we also look at how Africans here would have developed long ago if there were no disturbances. I can clearly see from here that Africa had a place in ancient times.”
Great Zimbabwe monument was built without mortar, with properly cut granite rocks balanced on top of each other.
The monument is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage site, a status accorded in 1986.
