Theseus Mauruki Shambare in VICTORIA FALLS
THE global tobacco science community has been challenged to sustain the spirit of scientific collaboration and innovation that has defined the past seven decades, as the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) celebrated its 70th anniversary in Victoria Falls.
CORESTA President Ms Helena Digard said the organisation’s achievements over the past 70 years were a product of contributions from researchers, institutions and industry players across generations, urging the next generation to build on that legacy.
Speaking during the anniversary celebration dinner no Tuesday, held on the sidelines of the ongoing 70th CORESTA Congress, Ms Digard said the organisation’s future would depend on the continued commitment of scientists and other stakeholders to collaborative research and innovation.
“That collective contribution has created something far greater than any one person or organisation could have achieved alone,” she said.
She said the anniversary was an opportunity to recognise those who had contributed to CORESTA’s development, while looking ahead to the next phase of global tobacco science.
“So tonight is to celebrate everyone who has contributed to that journey, those who came before us, those gathered here today, and those who shape the decades still to come,” she said.
“Here is to the people who made the first 70 years possible and to the people who will write the next chapter.”
The anniversary comes as the organisation continues to provide an international platform for scientific exchange, bringing together experts from different countries and disciplines to share research, discuss emerging challenges and advance scientific understanding of tobacco.
Hosting the milestone congress in Zimbabwe also marks another chapter in the country’s longstanding relationship with CORESTA, with the Tobacco Research Board (Kutsaga) having hosted previous international tobacco science gatherings in 1963, 1994 and 2019.
Kutsaga Chief Executive Officer Dr Frank Magama said the convergence of CORESTA’s 70th anniversary and the research institution’s 75 years of existence made the 2026 congress a significant moment for international scientific collaboration.
“Our bond with CORESTA is woven deep into our own story,” he said, recalling Zimbabwe’s history of hosting international tobacco research meetings.
“The congress offered an important platform for presenting research, exchanging ideas and strengthening partnerships that would support future scientific and technological advancement in the tobacco sector,” Dr Magama said
The congress is bringing together the global tobacco science community in Victoria Falls, with discussions and presentations covering research and innovations aimed at addressing production, quality, efficiency and sustainability challenges.
“CORESTA’s 70th anniversary therefore marks not only a celebration of its scientific legacy, but also an opportunity to renew collaboration and prepare the next generation of researchers to shape the future of tobacco science,” said Dr Magama.
