Press Release
U.S. sends Tanzanian tourism representative to the World Cultural Economic Forum in New Orleans, USA
October 28, 2008
The first annual World Cultural Economic Forum (WCEF) will take place in New Orleans for three days from October 29 through 31, 2008 to explore the economic and social value of an economy fueled by culture. Positioned to become the “Davos” (World Economic Forum) of culture, the forum will host a spectrum of international participant-countries, including Tanzania, which will be represented by Simai Mohamed Said. Simai Said is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zanzibar Association of Tourism (ZATI) and CEO of Busara Productions and of Zanzibar’s Sauti za Busara music and cultural festival.
According to the U.S. Embassy spokesperson, the goal of WCEF is to build cultural economic development opportunities through the strategic convening of cultural ambassadors and leaders from around the world. The first World Cultural Compact will be drafted at the event.
The forum will be attended by leaders shaping the world’s cultural economy and will include ministers of culture and tourism, high-ranking officials within those ministries, business people with significant financial investments in companies that support culture and tourism, and popular artists of all kind including musicians, actors, chefs, painters, crafts artists, sculptors, writers and teachers.
Simai Said has been specifically asked by the organizers to participate in a special panel discussion entitled, “Best Practices: Cultural Tourism.” He will share the panel with emissaries from Italy, Kazakhstan, Thailand and the European Commission. Additionally, there will be break-out sessions on developing the international cultural economy, and international business leaders will share model programs that bolster the business of culture while investors will discuss strategic finance structures for the cultural economy and the value of sustaining artistic and cultural products and sites.
Simai Said’s participation at WCEF came about through the U.S. Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Office and the Embassy’s newly created Zanzibar Affairs Office. Sponsorship was provided by the American people through the State of Louisiana, the New Orleans Export Assistance Center, WCEF, and the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU).