28 October 2023, H.E. Ambassador Baraka Luvanda, accompanied by Mr. Greyson Ishengoma, Counsellor and Mr. Kazuma Shirai, Senior Administrative form the Embassy attended a destination promotion event in Kyoto named “The Japan-Tanzania Friendship Party”. The event was co-organized by the Embassy and Tanzaniaphilia Gallery, a private company that is involved in Tingatinga art paintings in Japan.
The guest of honor to this event was Mr. Goro Yamaguchi, Chairman and Representative Director of Kyocera Cooperation, the company that has contributed to Tanzania’s rural education through the various donations such as the donation of solar power generating systems to many primary schools in Tanzania, leading to drastic improvement of the learning environment for Tanzanian children.
The event was held at the Hotel Princess in Kyoto attended by about 80 participants. Ms. Kuniko Shimizu - The CEO of Tanzaniaphilia Gallery and Honorary Representative of Tanzania for Promotions and Cultural Exchanges in Central Japan along with the General Manager of the Gallery Mr. Katsuji Mori expressed their joy of having the event the period within which the Tingatinga Exhibitions are being held from 20th October 2023 to 12th November 2023. They organized a number of activities including music live performance; fun raffle that made participants win Tingatinga decorated products; banquet; and presentation about Tanzania which made people enjoy listening to stories about a number of tourist attractions from wildlife experience, nature reserve, food, beverages, cultural heritage, beach sports, to historical art sites, Mountain climbing, air ballooning, fishing, hunting and many others.
Through his speech, Ambassador Luvanda thanked Ms. Kuniko Shiizu for great effort put for the event who worked around the clock to put it up together in collaboration with the Embassy staff. He expressed his appreciation for her continued efforts in branding and promoting Tanzania, especially through the famous Tingatinga exhibitions and other Tanzania art works she has organized over the years.
Ambassador Luvanda also expressed his appreciation to Mr. Yamaguchi for an enduring collaboration between the Embassy and Kyocera Corporation which was nurtured during the time of the former Ambassador Elly E.E. Mtango who served successfully from 2000 to 2009. He acknowledged the contribution of Kyocera Corporation in Tanzania community and thanked for the work that the company has done in the country over the years.
He concluded his remarks by introducing Tanzania's rich cultural heritage and so many unique tourist attractions to the participants and thereafter welcomed participants to pay attention to a detailed presentation by Mr. Kazuma and be free ask questions at the end. Amba. Luvanda assured to even those who have been to Tanzania before would be astonished to hear about them and will undoubtedly want to visit again.
On his part, Mr. Yamaguchi thanked Ambassador Luvanda for co-organizing and personally attended the party in Kyoto. He reiterated the friendship ties between Kyocera Company and the Embassy referring to the history of way back in 2007 when Ambassador Mtango, former Ambassador of Tanzanian in Japan contacted Mr. Kazuo Inamori, the founder and the Chairman Emeritus of our company. He acknowledged a work well done by Amb. Mtango including publishing Inamori’s book "A Passion for Success" in Swahili language.
He also thanked Ms. Shimizu for organizing the event and her tireless efforts to promote Tanzania work. She had been there to help Amb. Mtango for interpretation which helped to keep the friendship with Inamori alive and even deeper until today. As a result, since 2014 the Tanzania Fair has been held at Hotel Nikko Princess Kyoto, a hotel directly operated by Kyocera.
Mr. Yamaguchi explained about his experience of living, working and visiting wildlife in Africa, the moments he cannot forget. He expressed his passion for Tingatinga art works which are painted in unique colors, making him feeling Africa.
He concluded his remarks by wishing for the friendship between Africa, especially Tanzania and Japan continue to grow and certainly closer working relation between Tanzania Embassy and Kyocera Corporation.
The promotion event generated a lot of interest during the Q and A session, with many participants expressing their initial plans to visit the Country.
