DMV residents and visitors may not be able to convene this year in the Ronald Reagan Building for the popular event where more than 60 embassies celebrate and showcase their culture, history, tourism, traditions, food and beverage. But organizers are giving you another way to travel and shop the world.
This year, Winternational, an annual event that celebrates DC’s diverse diplomatic community sponsored by the World Trade Center Washington, D.C., has gone virtual. The Winternational Virtual Marketplace gives people the opportunity to shop for visual and decorative arts, handcrafts, appeal, jewelry and culinary fare. What’s more, it will be open through December 2021, making it a unique place to shop for holidays, birthdays and other special occasions throughout the year.
“After what has been a daunting year for many small businesses, this bustling online global marketplace demonstrates TCMA’s continued commitment to our diplomatic partners and to the prosperity of their artisan communities as they rebound from the economic impacts of the pandemic,” said John P. Drew, president and CEO of TCMA (A Drew Company), the exclusive manager of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, in a statement.
The new format had a virtual launch last month which can be viewed here, and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser declared Dec. 7, 2020 as Winternational Day. Embassies participating in the marketplace in 2021 include the Bahamas, Barbados, Bulgaria, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mexico & the Mexican Cultural Institute, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman & the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, with more to come. Winternational is sponsored by TCMA (A Drew Company), Washington Diplomat and WebPort Global.
Unique events for purchase include soaps and ceramics from My Ocean in the Bahamas, premium coffee beans from Sonia Coffee in Haiti, handmade woolen scarves from Star Collective Designs in Latvia and Andeana hats and weavings hand-shaped by Quechua artisans in Peru. The entire marketplace is accessible here, with items continuously added. You can stay up to date on new offerings by signing up for Winternational’s newsletter.
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