Heritage Village is fast cementing its status as one of Harare’s most dynamic spaces for culture, memory and tourism, and a key player in Zimbabwe’s growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.
Positioned within Liberation City, home to the Museum of African Liberation, the venue is marketed as an Afrocentric destination that is reshaping how Zimbabwe hosts, works and celebrates.
Far more than a conventional conference centre or leisure spot, Heritage Village has become a fully fledged hub where business, culture and tourism intersect.
An Afrocentric engine for MICE tourism
MICE tourism has been identified in Zimbabwe’s National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy as a critical driver of economic development, generating high-value visitors and demand for hotels, transport and local services.
Heritage Village is emerging as one of the venues answering that call, offering flexible spaces that can host everything from policy dialogues to large-scale public events.
Operated by the Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK), the Village is designed around African identity and storytelling.
Its architecture takes inspiration from traditional forms, from circular huts to earth-toned textures, while integrating modern amenities such as high-capacity power, Wi-Fi and professional event infrastructure.
The result is a venue that feels unmistakably African yet fully equipped for contemporary conferences and exhibitions.
According to INSTAK Chief Executive Officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi, this blend is deliberate. Heritage Village, he says, is not simply a venue but a curated experience.
“Designed to showcase African aesthetics, Heritage Village brings together culture, cuisine, education and recreation in one vibrant space. Here, heritage is not confined to exhibitions or bookshelves; it is lived and shared through architecture, food, storytelling and interaction,” said Muzawazi.
This ethos has helped position the Village as a go-to destination for organisers seeking something different from the anonymous hotel ballroom or generic expo hall.
Hosting major events and drawing big crowds
Heritage Village’s versatility has already been tested by a range of high-profile events.
Ambassador Muzawazi noted that the venue has hosted Zimbabwe’s first-ever Black History Month Exhibition, alongside gatherings that have attracted tens of thousands of people, such as the Public Service Commission Job Fair and the Bira reMbira, a large-scale cultural and spiritual gathering.
“We are more than capable of hosting a range of events, both large and small,” he said.
“From intimate private gatherings to major conferences and exhibitions, the venue is setting the tone for the future of MICE tourism in Zimbabwe.”
With adaptable indoor and outdoor spaces, Heritage Village can accommodate corporate retreats, trade fairs, weddings, public lectures, cultural festivals and community events.
This range is particularly important at a time when Zimbabwe is investing in tourism infrastructure to capture a larger share of regional and international business travel.
A stage for arts, culture and creative industries
Beyond its conference credentials, Heritage Village is steadily becoming a significant platform for Zimbabwe’s arts and culture scene.
Its traditional huts and open courtyards double as performance and exhibition spaces, giving artists, writers, filmmakers and performers a setting that feels rooted in African identity.
Storytelling sessions, music performances, traditional dance, craft markets and film screenings can all be staged in a venue that visually and thematically supports their work.
For creatives, this means access to audiences that include both local communities and visiting delegates from across the continent and beyond.
For Zimbabwe’s culture sector, it offers a bridge between the tourism economy and the creative industries, helping artists tap into new markets, collaborations and exposure.
By hosting events such as the Bira reMbira and Black History Month activities, Heritage Village also plays a role in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, from spiritual practices to oral traditions, and presenting them in a respectful, structured environment.
This positioning strengthens Harare’s profile as a city where culture is not just preserved but actively reimagined.
The venue also provides opportunities for:
• Cultural festivals and fairs, where visual artists, sculptors, designers and artisans can exhibit and sell their work.
• Workshops and masterclasses in music, dance, culinary arts and heritage studies, supporting skills transfer to younger generations.
• Collaborations between academics, curators and practitioners, using the space as a living laboratory for research on African knowledge systems and heritage.
In this way, Heritage Village acts as both a marketplace and a meeting point for Zimbabwe’s cultural ecosystem.
Gastronomy as a tourism driver
One of Heritage Village’s strongest drawcards is its food. In an era where culinary tourism is becoming a major motivation for travel, the venue places African cuisine at the centre of the visitor experience.
The menu features a broad selection of traditional dishes from across the continent, prepared with care and presented with contemporary flair.
From Zimbabwean staples to regional delicacies, the offering is designed to be both familiar and exploratory.
“Our menu is drawn from across Africa as part of a deliberate effort to promote local, traditional foods. In that sense, every meal is an invitation to explore Africa’s diversity through the palate,” Ambassador Muzawazi said.
For conference organisers, this provides a refreshing alternative to standard corporate catering, giving delegates a taste of the continent while reinforcing the overall Afrocentric theme.
For the broader tourism sector, it supports local farmers, food producers and culinary talent, adding another layer of value to the destination.
The Village’s reputation for good food has also turned it into an attractive setting for traditional marriage ceremonies and family celebrations.
Couples seeking an authentically African yet polished venue have increasingly looked to Heritage Village for weddings, roora (lobola) events and anniversary gatherings, blending cultural rites with modern event management.
A living classroom and bridge between generations
Heritage Village is also positioning itself as an educational resource. Its traditional huts and curated spaces are used for dialogue, lectures, school visits and intergenerational conversations on history, identity and nationhood.
Students can learn about liberation movements, African philosophies and indigenous knowledge systems in an environment that is immersive rather than purely academic.
Community elders, historians and cultural practitioners are often central to these programmes, ensuring that lived experience sits alongside formal scholarship.
By framing culture as a living, evolving asset rather than a static exhibit, Heritage Village reinforces the idea that heritage can fuel innovation, entrepreneurship and civic pride.
*Boosting tourism, jobs and local enterprise*
As a key component of Liberation City, Heritage Village contributes to a wider tourism precinct that includes the Museum of African Liberation and other attractions.
Together, these sites draw local visitors, school groups, diaspora travellers and international tourists interested in history, politics and culture.
The economic impact extends beyond entry gates. Events staged at Heritage Village create demand for transport, accommodation, catering, decor, sound and lighting, security and media services. This, in turn, supports jobs and small businesses in surrounding communities.
For Zimbabwe’s tourism authorities, the venue offers a concrete example of how investment in culturally grounded infrastructure can boost arrivals, lengthen stays and diversify what the country offers beyond its famed wildlife and landscapes.
*A cultural heartbeat for Harare*
In positioning culture as a national asset, Heritage Village shows how Zimbabwe can leverage identity to drive tourism growth and strengthen its global brand.
It is a place where professionals meet, families connect, and cultures intersect; where an international conference can sit alongside a traditional wedding, a job fair alongside a music performance. For Harare’s arts and culture scene, it provides a much-needed stage. For the wider economy, it is an increasingly important hub of MICE activity.
As Liberation City continues to evolve, Heritage Village stands out as its cultural heartbeat – an Afrocentric venue helping Zimbabwe claim its place on the regional tourism and events map, one gathering at a time.
