Africa Communications Week 2021: 24-28 May

21 May 2021

On Monday, 24 May, the South African edition of Africa Communications Week 2021. The week-long event will bring together communications professionals, media and press attaches based in South Africa to deliberate on the theme: Changing perceptions on Africa: saving lives, saving livelihoods. The event is hosted by PR Trends ZA, GCIS, Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Africa Communications Week forms part of the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture’s programme for Africa Month 2021.

The programme includes panel discussions, workshops and webinars:

Mon, 24 May

Time: 11:00- 18:00
Venue: //hapo restaurant, Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum, and Zoom
Themes:

• Vaccine rollout in Africa; saving lives and saving livelihoods - how do we tell our stories? How do we collaborate?
• The importance of communications as a strategic tool for development
• 2021 as the AU’s Year of the Arts, Culture And Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want

11:00 - 12.15: Addresses by Freedom Park, CEO: Ms Jane Mufamadi and Department of Sport, Arts & Culture Director General: Mr V Mkhize

12.15 - 13.00: Panel discussion on the importance of strategic communications for Africa's development with representatives from SADC, SANEF and FCA

Kindly indicate your participation by RSVP to Ms Mpho Sekgaphola on mphop@gcis.gov.za(link sends e-mail) or on Whatsapp +27 79 605 2659.

Free tickets to the week’s events are available here

Join Monday’s programme via Zoom: https://gcis.zoom.us/j/95125418605(link is external)

Tues, 25 May 2021

Venue: Amphitheatre & Isivivane, Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum, Pretoria Time: 09:00 - 18:00

Themes:

• Social cohesion through the arts
• Freedom Park’s message for Africa Day

08.30 - 10.30: Silencing the Gun event hosted by .Africa - With roundtable discussion: Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana: Dept. of Communication & Digital Technologies; Ms. Veronica Motloutsi: Founder & CEO of Smart Digital Solutions & ZADNA Board Member; Mr. Mandla Mkhwanazi: Chairperson of the Public Sector ICT Forum; Ms. Thandeka Ellenson: CEO of Moses Kotane Institute and Mr. Lucky Masilela: CEO of ZA Central Registry and Registry Africa.

10.30 - 11.30: Freedom Park Tour

11.30 - 13.00: Africa Day Celebration

2.30 - 4.30: Freedom Park Webinar in partnership with UNISA

Theme: Pan Africanism and Africa Liberation in the era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

DAY 4: Webinar hosted by the Africa Peer Review Mechanism Thursday, 27 May 2021 - APRM webinar

Venue: Zoom with livestream to social media platforms Time: 10:00 - 16:30

11.20 – 11.30: APRM and The Media (The role of African Governments in protecting the 4th estate, as a cornerstone of constitutional democracy - Minister of Public Service and Administration Mr. Senzo Mchunu

11.30 – 11.40 The APRM 2nd Generation Review and the role of the Media: NGC Chairperson: Thulani Tshefuta

11.40 – 11.50 The role of the media in promoting awareness of the APRM and its activities: Thematic Chairperson Communication and Publicity - Mrs Thulisile Lubisi

11.50 - 12.00 The future of media culture and heritage – TAEF representative

12.00 – 12.20 Questions and Answers facilitated by TAEF

12.20 – 12.30 Vote of thanks - Country APRM Secretariat: Dr Patrick Sokhela Follow the conversation on #APRMWebinar

4.00: National Reading Coalition session

DAY 5: Closing Day Friday, 28 May 2021

Venue: The Sanctuary, Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum, Pretoria Time: 11:00 - 18:00

11.00 - 11.30: Opening remarks and reflects from the week by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture Director General, Mr V Mkhize

11.30 - 13.00: Panel discussion on the business of communications 13.00: Closing remarks and thanks

About Africa Communications Week

Africa Communications Week was born in 2017 out of a realisation that, in this interconnected world, there were way too many communication professionals around the globe trying to impact the Africa narrative and working in isolation. The first edition started in 2017. The South African edition of Africa Communications Week has been running since 2018. Since then, Africa Communications Week has built bridges and has grown into the premier gathering for professionals passionate about the transformation of the continent through strategic communication.

Narratives surrounding Africa have an impact on the socio-economic development of the continent, Africa focused communicators must, therefore, be strategic about shaping a narrative that is so vital to the transformation of the continent.