The 2021 Africa Soft Power Series officially launched last week, with speakers including Ambassador Rama Yade (Director, Atlantic Council’s Africa Center and Former French Minister of State for Human Rights), Mona Eltahawy (Award-winning Journalist, Author, and Commentator &International Lecturer), and more.
This week, the series continues with nind phenomenal sessions taking place between Tuesday, May 11 to Saturday, May 25.
On Tuesday Siba Mtongana, Culinary phenomenon, Multi-award-winning celebrity chef, Author & Founder, The Siba Co.; Marc Kwesi Farell, Founder & CEO, Ten To One Rum & previously youngest VP at Starbucks and others on ‘Stirring The Pot: The Globalisation of African Cuisine And The Stories Within The Flavours’, while Thebe Ikalafeng, award-winning Founder & Group CEO, Brand Leadership Group, Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter and Wikimedia Foundation’s Khanyi Mpumlwana will join a separate panel on presenting positive African narratives, moderated by Rachel Hislop; Editor-in-Chief, Okayplayer and OkayAfrica.
On Wednesday, Susan Chapman-Hughes (Ex EVP, AMEX), Tenu Awoonor of Blu Penguin, and thought leaders from PayPal, MTN, FSDH Holdings, Lori and Nairametrics will speak on the intersections between finance, technology and creativity.
On Thursday, the remarkable Nontando Mposo, Editor-In-Chief, GLAMOUR, Africa’s leading women magazine and Leyla Hussein OBE, Social Activist and Co-founder, Safe Spaces for Black Women will feature in sessions on the business of beauty.
On Friday, Victor Williams, CEO, NBA Africa; Goabaone Taylor, CEO, Botswana Football Association; Tunde Folawiyo, Sports Investor & CEO Yinka Folawiyo Group and influencers from ESPN and the BBC, and SuperSports, former NFL and NBA players will take the centre stage on sports.
On Saturday, the focus will be on the music industry with a snazzy session on ‘Black is King: Of Culture & Rhythm’.
Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter said: “We need to have these important conversations about the things that underpin the things that matter. The Africa Soft power series is doing an excellent job curating conversations about cultural influence in Africa.”
Susan Chapman-Hughes, Fmr, EVP/GM, Global Digital Capabilities, AMEX added “building connections between Africa and the global black community are critical for the diaspora to be on the cutting edge of digital transformation and will ensure competitiveness and connection for generations to come.”
Yofi Grant, CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Center noted that “since its inception, the Africa Soft Power Project has optimally created the platform for thought provoking and insightful conversations aimed at transforming the African creative industry spanning the music, art, film and fashion industries.
“Music, art, film, fashion, and all other forms of creative expression have one thing in common: the ability to effectively connect and involve people through narrative, and the African continent is no stranger to this phenomenon.”
