The Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival
From 24-26 March 2023 Constitution Hill will host the 5th edition of the Human Rights Festival.
This year the festival takes place at a time when our country is hurting badly, 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! The event is free to the public. Our Constitution talks about the human rights of everyone, and everyone is welcome!
Support and engage in acts of active citizenship that build communities, and show the power of peaceful protest, advocacy, and argument to advance human rights.
With this objective 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, tolerance of difference and heal divisions in our communities.
For the last month civil society organisations have worked with Constitution Hill to shape a unique programme. On the apron of the Constitutional Court and using 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.
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 in social justice and human rights.
What’s on offer?
The programme includes:
- Two ‘Townhall debates’ on preparing for the 2024 elections - 2024 our 1994 - How should we show up in the next general election? Presented by: The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation & Right2Protest (Saturday) and how to survive the climate crisis South Africa's Climate Crisis: How it will impact on you and what we need to do to survive? (Sunday).
- The public is invited to engage in over 50 workshops and seminars. Curated by human rights experts, activists, artists, and organizations to 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. A final programme will be distributed SOON!
- A Skills Lab to provide practical skills on human rights advocacy.
- A cultural programme including film, music, poetry, book fair, storytelling 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.
- A Children’s programme. Children and young people are welcome. There will be children’s events and activities and this year we are trying hard to integrate young people into all aspects of the programme.
- The Activism Village: Already more than 50 organisations have booked booths in the activism village, on the apron of the Constitutional Court! This is opportunity to profile the work of NGOs and community organizations whilst engaging and educating festival attendees on human rights issues.
Friday is dedicated to NGO meetings and skills building, as well as an activist speed networking session.
Saturday and Sunday the event opens at 10h00 with free undercover parking available at the site.
On Sunday morning at 8am there will be a 5km Seize the Power, Reclaim Our Rights Protest Parade through the streets of Johannesburg. This is an opportunity for children and adults to walk for their cause and take a stand.
We look forward to support from the media in promoting this vital event. For further information write to humanrights@conhill.org,za. To see the full programme visit: https://humanrightsfestival.co.za/