A fourteen member Zambia National Dance Troupe, sponsored by the Government of India, has arrived in India to participate in a 17 day tourism cultural event dubbed the ‘Surajkund International Crafts Mela.
The National Troupe comprised of Zambia National Service, Zambia Army, Nomakanjani, Tiyanjane, Zuba Ni Moto, and Amaombe cultural troupes as well as two artisans from Choma Museum and Arcades Curio Market.
Ministry of Tourism and Arts Senior Arts and Cultural Affairs Officer Kandai Chilongo led the delegation.
“I wish to thank our Tourism and Arts Minister Hon. Charles Banda and his Permanent Secretary Dr. Howard Sikwela for ensuring that Zambia participates in exporting cultural tourism side by side with nature based tourism,” Mr. Chilongo said.
He added that the sponsorship by India was a demonstration of continued growing bilateral cooperation between Zambia and India in the area of tourism and culture.
“Government, through the Seventh National Development Plan (SNDP), has identified tourism as a priority sector and we will benchmark from India on how to effectively organise the Pamodzi Carnival Festival in Lusaka and elsewhere,” Mr. Chilongo said.
The Surajkund International Crafts Mela was being held in Faridabad in the Indian State of Haryana up to February 17, 2019 where over one million visitors would throng the Mela during the fortnight including thousands of foreign tourists.
This was contained in a statement released by First Secretary Press and Tourism at the Zambian Mission in New Delhi, India, Bangwe Naviley.
