haiti.org
This past weekend, the Haitian Embassy in Washington DC hosted its second annual “Holidays at the Pearl” Pop-Up Shop. This initiative is part of the Embassy’s larger public diplomacy efforts to offer the Washington metropolitan community an opportunity to experience everything Haiti has to offer. The pop-up shop initiative focuses mainly on efforts to promote and rebuild Haiti through entrepreneurship.For the occasion, the Embassy was transformed into a holiday winter wonderland and a luxurious Haitian marketplace where entrepreneurs who are contributing to the reclaiming of Haiti’s title as the Pearl of the Antilles displayed their collection of products sourced and/or inspired by Haiti. Available products included home goods, clothing, fashion accessories, and gourmet food products.Different from the Embassy’s previous pop-up shops, this year’s edition featured a happy hour uniquely curated for the occasion and sponsored by Toast Vodka and Chef Don Berto from Port-au-Prince Authentic Haitian Cuisine. Upon arrival, guests were welcomed with a variety of Haitian inspired cocktails prepared by a mixologist on Saturday and a warm cup of Haitian chocolate on Sunday. Attendees also had an opportunity to experience first-hand one of Haiti’s significant gourmet products, Haitian coffee, from Mokafe. Co-owned by two Haitians living in the U.S., Mokafe specializes in the sale of Haitian coffee with the main objective to help coffee producers revitalize domestic production and reposition Haiti as a global distributor of high quality coffee.Nathalie Tancrède from Artisan Business Network exposed an array of handmade goods manufactured by over 2,500 artisans from different regions in Haiti. Their work is featured in museums and shops all over the world, ranging from England to Singapore. Haitian-American fashion designer Dayanne Danier from Bien Abyé exposed some of her finest designs offering both men and women an opportunity to explore her newest collection encompassing a French style that is sophisticated and chic with a Creole influence. Other participating brands included Fruggie, Ida Co., MyaBel Craft, Fleurimond Catering, and Atelier Calla.Thank you to all the vendors who participated in this year’s pop-up shop and contributed to the tremendous success of the event. A warm thank you to all the guests who joined us and made this pop-up a memorable shopping experience. We are looking forward to reconnecting with you in the new year!In case you missed it, the photos of this year’s edition can be viewed at the following link.Original Article
