Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
TRADITIONAL leaders from Zimbabwe and Zambia have called for communities living around the Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya World Heritage Site to directly benefit from the economic opportunities generated by the iconic tourist destination, while emphasising the need to safeguard its cultural and natural heritage.
The call was made during a recent entrepreneurship capacity-building workshop held in Victoria Falls, which brought together traditional leaders, Government officials, heritage experts and development partners to explore ways of promoting sustainable livelihoods through tourism and heritage-based enterprises.
Speaking at the workshop, Chief Hwange of Zimbabwe and Chief Musokotwane, representing traditional leaders from Zambia, said the world-renowned site is more than a tourism asset and remains deeply connected to the history, culture and identity of communities on both sides of the Zambezi River.
“Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site is not only a place of natural beauty. It’s also part of our history, our identity, our culture, and our way of life. Our forebears lived with this land, respected it, and passed on knowledge, values, stories, practices, and traditions that continue to give meaning to our communities today,” said Chief Hwange.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the African World Heritage Fund, UNESCO, Government departments, heritage authorities and community stakeholders.
Chief Musokotwane shared similar views, describing the Victoria Falls as a living heritage site that continues to hold cultural and spiritual significance for local communities.
“Much as is the case on this side of the Zambezi River, to us on the Zambian side, Mosi-oa-Tunya is more than a wonder to be admired. It is a living heritage, a place of memory, identity, and connection between our people, the
Zambezi River, our ancestors, and the land that has sustained communities for generations,” he said.
The two traditional leaders stressed the importance of balancing conservation efforts with community development, noting that preserving the heritage site and improving local livelihoods should go hand in hand.
“If we lose our heritage, we lose part of who we are. If we conserve it well, it can continue to benefit our children and generations to come,” said Chief Hwange.
He said initiatives aimed at empowering communities should deliver practical and lasting benefits.
“My expectation is that this workshop will not end only with speeches and certificates. It should leave our people with skills they can use, ideas they can develop, and confidence to start or improve businesses that are linked to our heritage and environment.”
Chief Hwange highlighted opportunities for local communities to participate in tourism-related ventures, including craft production, cultural performances, tour guiding, hospitality and food services.
“The benefits should not be seen only from afar. They should be felt in the homes, businesses, and daily lives of the communities that live near it,” he said.
While expressing support for development initiatives, he stressed that growth should not come at the expense of the site’s cultural and environmental value.
“As traditional leaders, we support development. But we believe development must be wise, respectful, and sustainable. It must protect sacred places, cultural practices, the river, wildlife, landscapes, and the values that give our communities their identity. True development is that which leaves both the people and the heritage stronger,” he said.
The traditional leaders also called for stronger collaboration between communities, governments, heritage authorities and international organisations to ensure residents are actively involved in decisions affecting their culture, livelihoods and the future of the World Heritage Site.
Bongani Ndlovu