Ubuntu Festival Celebrates Unity

Bring Ubuntu Into the Workplace and Your Lives

The Ubuntu Festival celebrates not only the sense of unity that Capetonians have been experiencing during the World Cup but also 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. Ubuntu is the essence of being human:

“I am because you are”

The festival offers a number of ways to celebrate: through food, music and dialogue we enjoy our uniqueness and our differences and embrace the philosophy that is entrenched in our constitution and is the principle by which former President Nelson Mandela led South Africa.

On Monday 19 July the Ubuntu Symposium 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 3pm to 6pm 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 (Allan Gray) and Tony Ehrenreich (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.

After the three hour workshop delegates will enjoy refreshments at the Taj and some hot music at The Rainbow Room in Mandela Rhodes Place across the Mall where they can relax and unwind in the cool atmosphere of this popular Cape Town nightspot.

In association with People’s Post and Cape Town Tourism this symposium will be the wrap up event of the weekend long festival which celebrates Mandela Day in true Capetonian style.  Mariette du Toit Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism says “The World Cup has shown that our spirit of Ubuntu is a unique attraction in its own right! Cape Town has won the hearts and minds of every visitor to our city during the past few weeks. Our citizens’ enthusiasm and pride is at an all-time high – Cape Town is an authentic place with so much beauty, contrast and texture, so much to love. And it is the people of Cape Town that personify the unique spirit of this city. Local citizens have been central to the success of the World Cup this far and I am confident that we will continue to embrace each other and our visitors with the same warmth as we celebrate the birthday of one of humanity’s greatest icons.”

The Ubuntu Festival programme starts on Friday July 16 with an Ubuntu business breakfast hosted by the SA Ubuntu Foundation.  At a loss as to how to spend your 67 minutes of community work? On Saturday 17 July join the Giggling Gourmet, Jenny Morris from 12 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 Mr Mandela’s Birthday on Saturday 17 July presents a line up of top musicians and divas as well as a sneak preview of the upcoming Cape Town Show with our talented youngsters. Then on Sunday 18 July sing Happy Birthday to Madiba as Mandela Day gets off to great start with the DJ’s 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 rocks the City at this FREE music festival from 10am to 6pm. Enjoy some of the culinary delicacies of the Cultural Cuisine Quarter and marvel at the many influences that have made it so unique.   The festival is presented by the SA Ubuntu Foundation with partners Cape Town Tourism, the City of Cape Town, Provincial Government: Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Arts and Culture Trust and supported by Cape Town Partnership.

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.