Written by Sabbir Ahmed Khan, Volunteer at Crossing Borders
On a crisp autumn evening in Copenhagen, while the city buzzed outside with its usual twilight rush, Crossing Borders meeting room transformed into a miniature world stage. The occasion was the latest edition of Food for Thought, where a participants gathered around the dining dialogue table. Over appetizers, they exchanged stories and introduced themselves, their names, their nationalities and their work.
This global spirit was reflected in the diverse gathering itself. Attendees came from across Denmark, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas. The special guest for the Food for Thought was Simon C. Mears, Honorary Consul and Head of Mission for the United Republic of Tanzania in Denmark.
Though not a career diplomat, Simon has built a fascinatingly career in multiple sectors of business, diplomacy and grassroots. He serves as Director of the Mears Group, one of the UK’s largest housing and social care providers and chairs the British Chamber of Commerce in Denmark. Born in Tanzania, he spent much of his youth in Botswana and later Kenya before moving to the UK at the age of 28. In 2011, he relocated to Denmark, married a Danish woman, and has since made the country his home. The Tanzanian Consulate in Denmark is the fruit of his persistent efforts to strengthen ties between the two nations.
As the event unfolded, Simon’s engaging storytelling drew participants into a wide-ranging conversation about Tanzania — its cultural identity, business environment, policies, challenges, and opportunities that come with immigration.
Cultural barriers, as Simon noted, often stand in the way of deeper international cooperation. Although Denmark and Tanzania share one of Africa’s oldest diplomatic ties — Denmark being the first Scandinavian country to establish diplomatic relations with Tanzania — limited cultural understanding has prevented the relationship from reaching its full potential. Simon has made it his mission to bring Tanzanian culture into Danish society, bridging those gaps between the nations with patience and persistence.
As Simon also let the audience know, Tanzania today is one of East Africa’s fastest-growing economies. Each year, thousands of tourists visit to natural beauty of the country including Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak and the island of Zanzibar, as well as the cultural and natural wealth. Once perceived as among Africa’s poor nations, Tanzania has now emerged as a fast developing and self-sufficient in food-secure country, producing tea,
coffee, and grains, and is also blessed with rich deposits of gold, diamonds, and the rare gemstone tanzanite.
But no country is without its struggles. A painful memory still lingers Tanzania from 1998, when a terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam put Tanzania in the negative global spotlight. While Tanzanians are historically known for their friendly behavior, warmth and hospitality, the incident cast a long-lasting shadow on the nation’s image. Today, however, Tanzania is mostly free of such turmoil and is moving steadily forward under its first female Muslim President, who is fostering a more open and tolerant society there.
Even so, Simon reflected with some frustration, investors remain hesitant. he observed. Despite progress in god governance and development, many outsiders still see Tanzania through an outdated lens of poverty and the latest edition of terrorism. Actually, perception matters. In truth, reality stands in stark contrast to perception there. Albeit, corruption remains a challenge, and some human rights indicators show room for improvement, but change is remarkably underway.
For Simon, the task is clear: the world’s negative stereotypes must be challenged. Just as corporations brand their products, countries too must brand themselves — showcasing their culture, strengths, and progress to the world. Only then will public perception shift toward the reality of Tanzania’s potential.
As the evening drew to a close, the audience — students, professionals, development workers, and young people preparing for their careers — joined a warm and delightful dinner. The meal became a spontaneous platform for exchanging ideas about the how to challenge deep-rooted, negative perceptions with events like Food for Thought for mutual learning, building networks and sparking new inspiration.
The conversation left many reflecting deeply on the gap between perception and reality in the story of Tanzania — and, by extension, Africa itself. For those present, the evening was not just about storytelling, food and dialogue, but about reimagining possibilities. A million thank you to Simon for sharing his unique story in a deep, broad and generous manner.
