JICA Zimbabwe Exhibits at the 2023 ZITF

JICA Zimbabwe participated at the 2023 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) held in Bulawayo from the 25th to the 29th of April 2023. The 2023 exhibitions, which marked the 63rd edition of the fair, had +500 exhibitors and +20 countries and were held under the theme "Transformative Innovation, Global Competitiveness."

A major attraction in this year's exhibition was the combining of the Embassy of Japan (EoJ) and JICA stands. This set up allowed for an all-round Japanese experience. It transcended experiencing Japan's Official Development Assistance to Zimbabwe, but also tapped into experiencing the Japanese language, apparel, cuisine, games, and culture.

JICA's participation at the 2023 ZITF was a resounding feat with an increase in visitors to our stand. Our activities garnered a lot of interest, notably the North-South Corridor and ZIM-SHEP projects, as well as the KCCP and JOCV programs. People were also grateful for the remarkable aid that Japan is providing to Zimbabwe.

JICA represented by Volunteer Coordinator, Ms. Akiyo Yamauchi and JOCV, Mr. Daiki Shigetani also attended the 2023 Diplomats Forum which provided a platform for Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations to network and to be a part of the conversations for crafting of a global landscape of resilience and innovation.

Our team showed a standard of excellence, not just in knowing about JICA projects but in disseminating information on the projects, impact to date and sharing promotional materials. Having JOCVs participate at the exhibition was also a great hit as visitors testified that they loved interacting with the JOCVs, carrying a memorabilia home of their names written in the Japanese language and that it was more interesting learning about Japan from the Japanese youth.

Overall, the 2023 exhibitions were a great success and there was great teamwork between the EoJ and JICA staff. Knowing about JICA, EoJ and Japan indeed made a lasting impression in the memory of our visitors.