The Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival is back on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of March 2023.
Gates to this free festival open at 10am, with programmes running into the evening. The event presents two jam-packed days of conversations, exhibitions, art, film, and live performances by Msaki, BCUC and others.
“This 5th edition of the Constitution Hill Human Rights festival takes place at a time when our country is in crisis and our Constitutional vision of social justice and human rights is being stretched to breaking point. For this reason, the theme of the festival is Seize the Power! Seize your power! ” Says Constitution Hill CEO Dawn Robertson.
Each year the festival unites NGOs, social justice organisations, think tanks, media partners, and the public around human rights issues. The event which is free to the public presents one day dedicated to skills building for social justice organisations and two days open to the public offering a market; food stalls; exhibitions; art; showcases; poetry; theatre; film; live performances and a children’s program.
Pre events for the festival include a virtual live stream dialogue on the 21st March at 18h30 – We, the People in Conversation featuring Former Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela and reigning Miss SA, Ndavi Nokeri hosted by the Constitution Hill Trust. Catch it live on Facebook at Constitution Hill SA and the WeThePeopleSA Youtube channel. The festival will be prefaced with dedicated day for NGO and activism organisations’ skills building workshops, hosted on Friday, the 24th of March 2023.
ALSO READ: Soweto’s Makhelwane Festival Returns
“Our Constitution foregrounds the collective, the “we”, in its opening words in recognition that without the people acting in solidarity the end of apartheid and the advent of our constitutional democracy would not have been possible. It is also true that the vision set out in our Constitution for South Africa will remain unrealised if we, the people do not collectively seize our power once again towards making the Constitution real.” says Robertson.
This year’s human rights festival coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
This milestone is an opportunity for everyone to recommit to the promise of the UDHR – equality, dignity, freedom and justice for all – and to demonstrate the power and relevance of human rights.
“The debates, workshops and seminars at the festival are all pointing us to look towards human rights as a catalyst for workable and sustainable solutions for the challenges we face,” said Abigail Noko, Regional Representative of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Open to the public on the 25th and 26th of March 2023 – The festival is FREE and opens at 10h00 with programmes running into the evening on both nights. Constitution Hill provides free, safe undercover parking
What to Expect
● Two ‘Townhall Debates’ one on preparing for the 2024 elections – 2024 our 1994 – How should we show up in the next general election? (Saturday) and how to survive the climate crisis – South Africa’s Climate Crisis: How it will impact you and what we need to do to survive? (Sunday).
● The public is invited to engage in over 50 dialogues; debates and seminars curated by human rights expert and multiple organisations. These programs provide a platform for attendees to learn more about specific human rights issues. Audiences are encouraged to engage in meaningful discussions on the challenges we face as a country.
● The ARTivism programme includes film, music, poetry, bookfair, and exhibitions to create intersectional stories and content addressing issues of migration, climate crisis, gender and racial justice and to further engage each other on issues of Human Rights.
● Special music performances on Saturday the 25th include globally celebrated BCUC; and on Sunday the 26th songbird Msaki and the super talented young stars of Biko’s Manna and Mfundo, who, after going viral on TikTok and have been invited to audition for an upcoming season of America’s Got Talent.
● A Children’s programme. Running daily and led by Play Africa – the first interactive children’s museum in Southern Africa. The program will offer children ages 10 and under equitable learning experiences through developmental play. The children’s book programme promises to be a magical one with inspiring books telling African stories. There is also a host of interactive workshops, theatre and music programmes and fun activities that children can participate in.
● The Activism Village: Over 50 social justice organisations & movements have booked booths in the activism village, on Constitution Square! This is an opportunity to profile their whilst engaging and educating festival attendees on human rights issues.
Twenty-seven years into our democracy, frustrations of ideals not achieved have ignited the next generation of human rights activists with the injustices of poverty and inequality that have fuelled the desire for bottom-up change. The festival programme encourages attendees to interrogate their own beliefs and values and to examine what they are doing to help create a “just” society for all that actively foregrounds economic, political, and social human rights.
The festival provides a safe space where the work of social justice organizations can be recognized and celebrated, and where people can come together to learn about and support human rights activism. The critical nexus of creative cultural expression and the bold and brave storytelling of the artists, filmmakers and musicians is the heart and soul of what the Human Rights Festival is all about – engaging and inspiring audiences on human rights issues through art, film, music and conversation, which flows through to the partnerships and relationships that we nurture.
Hosted on the apron of the Constitutional Court and venues in the Old Fort and Women’s Jail, the Festival will bring together community-based organisations, social movements, non-governmental organisations, and international non-governmental organisations.
Dawn Robertson says the festival aims to build greater awareness and knowledge around human rights and to promote the importance of an active citizenry. It aims to build social cohesion, and tolerance of difference and heal divisions in our communities.
“In this safe and special space, people will be able to discuss challenges facing our country and the world, and how best we, the people, can coordinate our efforts to bring about lasting and consequential change based on social justice and human rights. ” Says Robertson.
On Sunday morning, a 5km Seize the Power, Reclaim Our Rights Protest will take place through the streets of Johannesburg. We welcome children and adults to join the march for their cause and take a stand.
“In this safe and special space, people will be able to discuss challenges facing our country and the world, and how best we, the people, can coordinate our efforts to bring about lasting and consequential change based on social justice and human rights,” said Robertson. “Our Constitution enshrines the human rights of everyone, and everyone is welcome! “