This second annual Cape Town event gears up to take that unique sense of unity forward. Presented with partners Cape Town Tourism, the City of Cape Town, Provincial Government: Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and the Arts and Culture Trust and supported by the Cape Town Partnership/CCID, the Ubuntu Festival promotes and fosters a truly prosperous and harmonious rainbow nation where we celebrate our cultural diversity and build a spirit of Ubuntu that permeates every aspect of our lives.
Epitomising Mandela's philosophy of Ubuntu, the festivities take place in the heart of the old city from Mandela Rhodes Place across St Georges Mall and along Church Street, from Wale Street to Longmarket Street. This vibrant and historic part of the city will reverberate with activities that create that sense of unity experienced by Capetonians during the World Cup. Street cafes, top restaurants and elegant hotels will vie with deliciously different retailers and the precinct buzzes with activity day into night.
The festival programme starts on Friday, July 16 with an Ubuntu business breakfast hosted by the SA Ubuntu Foundation at the Pavilion at the V&A Waterfront, with speaker Mew Removing, author of Waiting To Live and Prisms Of Light and national vice-president of the Congress of SA Writers.
On Saturday, 17 July, you can join the Giggling Gourmet, Jenny Morris, from 12 noon to 2pm in the Atrium of Mandela Rhodes Place, St Georges Mall with celebrity chefs and help to cook up great meals for our various city shelters.
A gala Ubuntu dinner at The Rainbow Room in celebration of Mandela's birthday on Saturday, 17 July, presents a line-up of top musicians and divas as well as a sneak preview of the forthcoming Cape Town Show.
Then, on Sunday, 18 July, sing Happy Birthday to Madiba as Mandela Day gets off to great start with the DJs from Good Hope FM as they bring the best of Cape Town music to the Grand Stage in St George's Mall. Music from all genres will rock the city at this free music festival from 10am to 6pm. The sounds of Hot Water, Coda, Hessel van der Walt, Tina Schouw, The Gugulethu Tenors, Moreira Project and more will be heard. Enjoy some of the culinary delicacies of the Cultural Cuisine Quarter and marvel at the many influences that have made it so unique.
On Monday, 19 July, the Ubuntu Symposium, in association with Cape Town Tourism, aims to unpack the concept of Ubuntu and find answers to how we can practise Ubuntu at work and at home, within our communities and beyond. With facilitator, award-winning actress, theatre maker Mwenya Kabwe this event will be memorable and very different. You set the agenda - you come to the solutions - this is no talk shop but a superbly interactive event. From 2pm to 5.30pm at the Taj Hotel in St George's Mall, discussion and debate will ensue and delegates will enjoy a new way to finding solutions. A panel consisting of Jenny Cargill (BusinessMap), Max Moyo (head of emerging market development at Allan Gray) and Tony Ehrenreich (regional secretary, Western Cape, of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) will discuss "where we are now" and delegates, under the guidance of Kabwe using Open Space technology, will take this forward on how we harness that spirit that has been so evident over the past six weeks. The price per person is R200 with a special concession for Cape Town Tourism members. Limited seating is available so book early.
The Ubuntu Symposium is the final event and is open to businesses and individuals who are looking at how to make Ubuntu part of their daily philosophy.
Bookings for the Gala Dinner and the Symposium can be made by going to www.webtickets.co.za or email az.oc.lheibyma@atina or tel: +27 (0)21 462 5052.
