“Education is power” is going to be the central theme that will drive the 2025 Poetry Africa programme according to festival project officer, Andisa Mpisi. The festival theme is selected to commemorate the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s first year at school. The Nobel laureate and first President of South Africa’s constitutional democracy, Nelson Mandela, started his primary schooling near his village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape in January 1925. He grew up to acknowledge education as a powerful platform that could bring about equality and promote tolerance.
“We are delighted to launch two special projects at a time when young people across South Africa will be returning to school or starting school for the first time. The Poetry Africa programmes are our creative response to remind our nation about the important value that Nelson Mandela placed on education”, says Siphindile Hlongwa, the curator of the Poetry Africa festival. She drew on a famous quote from Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Ten finalists from the national Slam Poetry Competition will be recorded for a special programme to be broadcast across several radio stations in South Africa in partnership with the Radiocracy project. The ten finalists will have their poems recorded for broadcast with a network of radio stations. The finalists will each receive a royalty fee of R4 000 for their recorded performance and a R1 000 book voucher.
The Poetry Africa festival is also kicking off a monthly slam poetry competition aimed specifically at slam poets from the greater Ethekwini municipality. The winner of each month’s competition between January and August will receive aR1 000 prize. The 8 monthly winners will also be invited to a mentorship programme in September following which they will be presented in a specially curated programme at the 29th annual Poetry Africa festival in October 2025.
Andisa Mpisi (Top Image), an Emerging Arts Manager at the Centre for Creative Arts and published poet will co-ordinate the programmes. Mpisi participated in the Centre’s literature curator exchange programme with the Bergen Literature Festival in Norway in 2024.
“We want Slam Poets to use their creative voices to encourage young people to immerse themselves in education by drawing inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s commitment to education”, says Mpisi. She references a quote from his biography, Long Walk to Freedom, “The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation.”
She adds that Nelson Mandela spoke directly to young people when he said, “Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.”
The guidelines for both the national and regional Poetry Africa’s “Centenary of Mandela’s School Year” project will be available on the Poetry Africa website: https://poetryafrica.ukzn.ac.za/
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