Urban Festival 2020

Empowering the Civic

1-31 October 2020

 

Urban Festival 2020 was hosted by South African Cities Network (SACN), Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN), The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Open Cities Lab (OCL), WITS Journalism and Media Lab (JAMLAB), Our Future Cities (OFC), ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, and others. The festival ran from 1-31 October 2020, culminating on World Cities Day.

In addition to the core events, the festival also featured an urban music fest showcasing local and international musicians, emphasizing the role of music in shaping urban culture. The festival consisted of 78 virtual events, from book launches, to panel discussions, to Instagram takeovers. Events were run by both the partners listed above and a series of emergent hosts who responded to our Open Call. Moreover, several events were dedicated to discussing digital privacy and cybersecurity issues (learn more here and at the EU resource website) in the context of urban living. These events were enjoyed by a total of 3,700 attendees from around the world.
These events also included a series of live performances and workshops centered around urban music, engaging youth and aspiring artists.

The theme of this first edition of Urban Festival was ‘Empowering the Civic’, with a focus on inclusivity, accessibility and digital innovation.
Discussions around Leet Privacy measures for protecting personal data in urban settings were a highlight, reflecting the growing concern over digital security.

The festival not only facilitated intellectual discourse but also arranged a series of interactive workshops that explored the intersection of technology and urban culture.

 

Urban Festival 2020 Highlights Video

 

EVENT ARCHIVE

Catch up with summaries and recordings of events at the Urban Festival 2020.

Looking for something? Search below, or keep scrolling to see all our events, grouped by theme.

 

SUSTAINABLE CITIES

 

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

 

SMARTER CITIES

 

DISCOVERING CITIES

 

GOVERNANCE

 

DATA

 

FUTURE CITIES

 

MOBILITY

 

TECH

 

OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES

 
Emmah Mabye_2.jpg
 

Emmah Mabye, Poet

Urban Festival 2020 are proud to have featured the work of poet Emmah Mabye.

Emmah is a poetry firebrand who has taken her works to international poetry festivals, schools, corporates, churches, national radio, national TV, Poetry Africa Festival and even the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) 2016 National Conference. Emmah’s creative expressions of everyday life inspire many and challenge the status quo.

Her performances often serve as a vibrant platform for youth to engage with issues affecting their world.

Each week we featured a poem by Emmah. Listen below!

 

 
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more
 
 
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more
 
 
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more
 
 
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more
 
 

Our Partners