Yemen Embassy in Japan Organizes Event on Coffee and Its Connection to Yemeni Historical, Cultural Identity and Heritage
In the presence of the Yemeni Ambassador to Japan, Adel bin Ali Alsunaini, the Embassy in cooperation with the global UCC company and Mocha Origins company, organized an event on Yemeni coffee—history, heritage, and identity—which was held at the International Coffee Academy, with the participation of those interested and specialists in the coffee industry and company representatives.
The event aimed to highlight the historical and cultural status of Yemeni coffee and to shed light on its deep connection to Yemeni identity and ancient civilizational heritage, alongside raising awareness of its high quality and its position as the oldest and most famous type of coffee in the world.
In his speech, Ambassador Al-Sunaini reviewed aspects of Yemen’s civilizational and economic history, pointing out that Yemeni coffee was not merely an agricultural crop, but over long centuries formed an integral part of Yemeni national identity, and its name became linked to the history of global coffee trade since its early worldwide spread.
He referred to the historical role of the port of Mocha, which represented a main launching point for Yemeni coffee trade to various countries around the world—a connection that led to the name “Mocha” becoming associated with Yemeni coffee in global markets, turning it into a historical hallmark reflecting the Yemeni origins and roots of this unique product. He emphasized that this historical heritage reflects the depth of Yemen’s contribution to shaping global coffee culture.
The event included an interactive dialogue, visual and cultural presentations that covered Yemen’s history and ancient civilization, its historical cities, in addition to spotlighting the regions of Yemeni coffee cultivation in the mountainous highlands, and its traditional farming methods preserved by generations, which grant Yemeni coffee its distinctive characteristics and unique flavor. It also featured a narration of the journey of Yemeni coffee from mountain farms to processing and export stages, reaching Japanese and global markets, while highlighting the efforts exerted by Yemeni farmers to maintain the quality of this product despite challenges, and its role in supporting local communities and enhancing livelihoods.
