The Crafts and Culture Challenge is positioning Zimbabwe as part of a growing international platform designed to equip young people in the hospitality and tourism sector with skills, industry exposure and access to global career opportunities.
Speaking during an engagement with the media, Hubert Ummels who is the owner and founder of GameChangers and Future Leaders Platform said that the initiative would seek to complement existing programmes in Zimbabwe rather than compete with or replace them, while using its international network to create opportunities for young people to gain experience beyond the country’s borders.
“The platform could support Zimbabwe’s ambition to develop a skilled workforce by exposing young people to international standards and allowing those who gain experience abroad to potentially return home with new knowledge and expertise,” he said.
The Crafts and Culture Challenge currently has a presence across 20 African countries, including 14 in Eastern Africa, as well as Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. Its broader international footprint also extends to Southeast Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom.
According to Ummels, the initiative has received support from several Zimbabwean government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Youth and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
They also said the First Lady’s Office was aware of the initiative, with hopes that the First Lady would attend the Zimbabwe challenge scheduled for October, which will compliment her gastronomy drive.
The first Zimbabwean Crafts and Culture Challenge is set for 19 October 2026, it will bring together 20 professional schools in what they described it as a national cooking competition.
However, the organizers stressed that the Zimbabwean national competition should not be confused with the Global Final, which will be held separately in Dubai.
“This particular Crafts and Culture Challenge is a national edition,” Ummels explained, clarifying that winners of the Zimbabwean competition will travel to Dubai for the contest.
The Global Final is structured as an international platform bringing together finalists from participating countries alongside global leaders in hospitality and tourism.
According to the organisers, representatives of UN Tourism and senior executives from major international hospitality companies, including Marriott and Hilton, are expected to participate.
The four-day Global Final will combine a competition with professional development, industry engagement, cultural exposure and employment opportunities.
One component will focus on global workforce development, bringing school directors together with hospitality and tourism industry leaders to discuss the skills required by the sector and the future of its workforce.
The programme will also give students an opportunity to learn about the international hospitality industry, understand the opportunities available to them and gain exposure to Dubai and the wider Middle Eastern market through cultural experiences and tours.
Emmah Kativu who is the president of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe who is also a board member commented, “A job-market component will further connect participating students with potential employers, creating opportunities for international internships and employment.”
“The international exposure could be particularly valuable to young Zimbabweans seeking to build careers in the global tourism industry.”
She emphasised that the objective was not to duplicate initiatives already operating in Zimbabwe or other countries. Instead, the Crafts and Culture Challenge intends to provide existing programmes with additional tools, knowledge and international networks to strengthen their impact.
An example was given from Tanzania, where an existing tour-guide competition is being supported through the Crafts and Culture Challenge model rather than being replaced by a new programme.
The same approach could be adopted in Zimbabwe, allowing existing initiatives to retain their identity while benefiting from additional international exposure and expertise.
The initiative is also expected to participate in the Sanganayi Tourism Expo, with its board members attending and representing different subsectors within the tourism ecosystem.
“The participation will provide an opportunity to engage with the Tourism Business Council and other industry stakeholders, reinforcing the platform’s focus on collaboration across the tourism value chain,” said Luckson Zambuko the Country Manager Future Leaders Platform Zimbabwe.
For Zimbabwe, the initiative could provide a pathway for young people to access international networks, acquire new skills and standards, and potentially bring that knowledge back to contribute to the development of the country’s hospitality and tourism sector.
