This is a partnership born out of the need for establishing ZiMU’s footprint on the international scene. Muusikkojenliitto has been in existence for 105 years and ZIMU is looking to tap into their huge pool of experience and knowledge of music and entertainment unionism in their own journey. Being fairly new themselves, only formed in 2014, ZIMU is also looking to their Finnish counterparts for mentorship, skills, resource and capacity building.

Some members of the ZIMU executive committee, including President Edith WeUtonga Katiji, Communications Officer Sibonginkosi ‘Nasibo’ Mutize and the Women’s Desk Chairperson Chioneso Rutsito were recently invited to Muusikkojenliitto headquarters in Helsinki, Finland on tour to familiarise themselves with the operations of the more experienced union as well as a round of meetings to formalise the partnership.

While in Finland, the ZIMU leadership had a chance to attend the Muusikkojenliitto Board Meeting where they were given a chance to appraise their counterparts on the progress and aspirations they had for the music scene. They had a series of interviews on the union station Radio Helsinki, and print media where they told the Zimbabwe story. They also attended a few music festivals around the city that this visit was made to coincide with. The trio collaborated with local musicians for a performance at the union-run venue, GLive Lab. The venue has state-of-the-art sound and stage set-up, that gives any visitor and music promoters an understanding of what an ideal venue must-have for musicians.

“It was a real eye-opener for us. I guess the highlight for me was addressing their board meeting as well as meeting with their legal, communications and marketing teams where we were given tips on strategies for communication, membership drive and collective agreements”, said Katiji.

“These are some of the foundations that unions such as ours are built upon. A series of programs have been lined up for the foreseeable future including workshops and other fundraising and capacity enhancing initiatives to enable us to operate fully and with relevance”,  she added.

This visit and partnership cement the intension of ZIMU to become a fully-fledged and well-functioning body. The union is affiliated with the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), to which Katiji was recently elected Vice President.