Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere in GOA, India
INDIA’S successful cultural preservation model, which effectively safeguards history for future generations, has been admired by the Government which is keen to replicate it to enhance Zimbabwe’s tourism, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said after touring the Big Foot Museum in Goa.
The Vice President’s delegation included historians from Zimbabwean universities, as well as representatives from the National Museums and Monuments and the National Archives.
The Zimbabwean delegation noted that India’s efforts in preserving history are so exemplary that they discovered significant aspects of their own heritage, among them the 15th century contribution by the Mutapa Prince, well-documented in Indian museums.
India continues to reap substantial benefits from international tourism.
The country recorded over seven million pilgrims who flocked to Old Goa to honour St Francis Xavier’s relics during the decennial exposition in a three-month period from November last year to January this year.
Back home, the quest to boost tourism comes amid global tourism attention on the country which this year saw Forbes Magazine naming Zimbabwe as the 2025 world best country to visit as the sector continues to defy global headwinds, recording over 1,6 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, generating US$1,2 billion in receipts and US$190,5 million in investments.
VP Chiwenga urged the National Museums and Monuments to take inspiration from India’s approach, suggesting that Zimbabwe could similarly enhance its cultural assets and boost its tourism sector.
“At this museum, they are preserving their history and artefacts, including those brought by other cultures, particularly by Africans, especially Zimbabweans,” said VP Chiwenga. “This is well depicted here, and our representatives from the National Museum and Monuments will take note of how we can improve our own situation. I believe we can develop solutions that suit our specific conditions back home.
“The museum highlights the life in Goa and the various cultures that make up the people living in this area, prompting us to reflect on our own situation. We have many tribes and diverse cultures, yet these ethnic values are disappearing day by day without being preserved for future generations.
“The way we lived and what we treasured are now fading away. What remains is predominantly foreign culture, which hinders future generations from understanding their own identity and can lead them to ridicule their own culture,” said VP Chiwenga.
The Vice President said cultural preservation offered economic benefits, primarily through tourism, as people will travel to Zimbabwe to explore its rich history, similar to the advantages India experiences from its influx of tourists.
National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe deputy executive director Dr Paul Mupira said the Zimbabwean museums would take a leaf from the Indians and talked of the importance of cultural preservations.
“Exhibitions are a vital way of preserving our cultural heritage, serving as an example of how our cultural past can be brought to life and how it links the present with history,” said Dr Mupira.
“Zimbabwe has many monuments with the potential for similar displays that can appeal to different generations.
“These exhibitions also demonstrate how our culture brought people together from various parts of the world, highlighting the vibrancy of intercultural exchange even in the past. Preserving this history is essential,” said Dr Mupira.
Peter Tanyanyiwa