WHY THESE MISSIONS MATTER
From one-off trips to long-term creative economy pipelines.
Every mission is built with outcomes in mind – not just photo moments. SMADE’s diplomacy work connects governments, tourism boards, brands and creative ecosystems to design opportunities that keep culture, business and people moving in both directions.
Strategic cultural diplomacy
Missions that sit at the intersection of culture and policy – from private meetings with heads of state and ministers, to contributing to national creative economy agendas and soft-power strategies.
Touring, festivals & local ecosystems
Using each trip to map venues, partners and talent, identify gaps in local infrastructure and design touring routes, festival concepts and capacity-building programmes for the next generation.
Bridging home and diaspora
Missions that inspire travel, investment and cultural exchange – connecting diaspora communities back to home countries through events, storytelling and curated experiences that drive tourism.
GHANA • IN PROGRESS
Currently in Accra, Ghana 📍
Live field notes from December in Accra — talent pipelines, infrastructure, and the work of legacy.
Diaspora District: lessons from Accra
Building Africa’s creative talent pipeline — what’s working, what’s missing, what’s next.
3Music TV: Ghana, Afrobeats & infrastructure
A live conversation about systems, safety, and what scale demands in return.
On scale, systems, and talent
Why talent isn’t the bottleneck — infrastructure is.
December in Ghana: culture, scale, legacy
What the “peak season” reveals — and what it doesn’t build.
Ghana mission: live updates
Follow the full Ghana journal thread.
MISSIONS
2024–2025 Diplomatic Missions
A track record of cultural diplomacy across Africa, the Middle East and beyond.
Mecca mission
Pilgrimage and cultural development work.
Kigali mission
Cultural partnership and youth engagement.
Dubai / Abu Dhabi
Cultural expansion and consulting.
Lamu mission
Creative advocacy and ecosystem building.
Lagos mission
Festival and infrastructure groundwork.
Addis Ababa mission
Cultural mission and stakeholder engagement.
Algiers mission
Regional diplomacy and cultural positioning.
Harare • Kariba • Victoria Falls
Creative diplomacy across cities and landscapes.
Bridgetown: GUBA Investment & Trade
Conference and Awards — full case study.
Mecca, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 (2024)
Kigali, Rwanda 🇷🇼 | December, 2024
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - January 2025 🇦🇪
Lamu, Kenya 🇰🇪 | January, 2025
Lagos, Nigeria 🇳🇬 | April, 2025
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 🇪🇹 | Jun, 2025
Algiers, Algeria 🇩🇿 | Sep, 2025
Harare, Kariba and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 | Nov, 2025
Bridgetown, Barbados 🇧🇧 | NOV, 2025
NEXT STEP
Ready to design your next cultural & diplomatic mission?
Whether you’re a government, tourism board, brand or institution, SMADE can help you turn a visit into a long-term strategy – aligning culture, commerce and community impact.