Cape Town Festival 2010 will present its popular Human Rights Day Concert on Sunday March 21 as part of the eleventh festival, which runs from Friday March 19 to Sunday March 21.
The free concert will take place in the Company’s Gardens – and will feature the Gugulethu Tenors, Emo Adams, the Rudimentals and a range of community artists.
Acclaimed Angolan R & B singer Anselmo Ralph will be the headline act at the concert. His welcome presence is in line with the “One City, Many Cultures” campaign and a commitment to reach across to our neighbours on the African continent.
A variety of food and craft vendors will add to the atmosphere of the festival and there will be a “Come & Play” kiddy’s corner. There will also be a beer garden which will run for the duration of the stage performances.
Billed as an “incomparable” culture and heritage event, the Cape Town Festival sets out to present a diverse arts, culture and heritage event that caters for all cultural groups and ages, Mother City residents and visitors alike.
Last year, the Festival attracted a record 32 000 festival-goers over three days.
In a spirit of co-operation with the City of Cape Town, the Human Rights Day Concert was moved to Sunday, because, on Monday, the day initially earmarked for the concert, the City is testing the 2010 FIFA World Cup logistics with the Cape Town Stadium at full capacity. This means both the SAPS and the City Servies will be fully committed to the Monday event at Cape Town Stadium.
For the first time during the Cape Town Festival, Metrorail will lay on trains throughout the Main Festival, in a bid to attract more festival-goers who depend on public transport.
The Main Festival will be preceded by the “One City, Many Cultures” debate. Cape Town Festival 2010 has scooped former University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor and World Bank Deputy President Dr Mamphele Ramphele and Cape Town Partnership Chief Executive Andrew Boraine as speakers for the debate which takes place on Wednesday 17 March.
The debate will take place at 19h00, following a 18h00 screening of the documentary Rainbow Nation 2010 at the Iziko South African Museum’s TH Barry Lecture Hall, at 25 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, at the top of the Company’s Garden.
This documentary will set the tone for what should prove an invigorating discussion between the audience and panelists Ramphele and Boraine. The Cape Town Partnership plays a pivotal role in revitalising Cape Town’s city centre and both panelists are proud Capetonians. They will share with the audience their fears, hopes and expectations following the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer.
Rainbow Nation 2010 is directed by Joanna Tomkins and is a South African / Spanish collaboration. Produced in 2009, the 52-minute documentary is an exquisitely filmed composition of eight independent portraits that serve to showcase the true heart of South Africa through everyday encounters with South African people as they share their beliefs and hopes in relation to the FIFA 2010 World Cup Soccer and what can be expected in its aftermath. Each chapter is portrayed in the words of its own primary character.
Cape Town Festival Executive Chairperson Ryland Fisher said: “Every festival should have a serious, intellectual side, especially a festival such as the Cape Town Festival, which was born with a specific mission in mind: that of uniting the diverse communities of Cape Town despite their apparent differences.”
The community festivals, which will feature homegrown community talents, will take place at Atlantis (Saturday 27 February, from 09h00 until 17h00), Hanover Park at the Mount View High School (Saturday 6 March from 09h00 till 17h00) and at Langa (Saturday 13 March from 09h00 till 17h00).
The Main Festival concerts in the Company’s Garden on Sunday will be accompanied by a food, arts and craft market.
Friday and Saturday’s programme will consist of a range of musical styles, with Saturday’s programme being more youth-oriented.
There is no no charge for attending any of the Cape Town Festival 2010’s diverse offering of events. For further information, visit the Cape Town Festival website. The festival offices can be contacted on telephone (021) 465 9042, or e-mail info@capetownfestival.co.za.
