Africa in the World

September 12-16, 2023

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Our Story

A Festival of Hearts and Minds

Welcome to Africa in the World, a festival that brings together the world’s most innovative thinkers and top leaders to platform invigorating ideas for fresh changes and sustainable solutions for African people. Our purpose is to spark connections and engage actions that can move African society forward. Learn more about our story and meet our founder, Dele Olojede, who believes in the power of dialogue to bring the best and brightest together in unearthing solutions that can be implemented and sustained over the long term.

Africa in the World is an ideas festival.  We have conceived it as a convening of great minds, not only to explore how the best ideas can help us solve our biggest challenges, but also to infuse the festival with spirit.  That’s why we don’t call it a conference.  We call it a festival of hearts and minds.

Dele Olojede

What’s New

John Carlin

The world’s civil religion, football… and the meaning of life

Journalist, author and documentarian, John Carlin is interviewed by Emir Muhammadu Sensui II As a ‘dinner provocation’ during Africa in …

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Donald Kaberuka

The here, the now and the road ahead

Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Nigeria’s Kaduna state interviews iconic Rwandan economist, Donald Kaberuka In this …

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Emir Muhammadu Sensui II

How to stop manufacturing poverty on an industrial scale

Muhammadu Sansui II, Emir of Kanu in Nigeria Both a modern African leader and a …

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Xenophobia Panel Discussion

The sources of violent xenophobia in South Africa – African backlash

Panellist, Alan Storey gives us a metaphor that can hold us In the weeks before …

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Highlights from the Inaugural Festival

2023 Speakers

Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, poet, author, teacher and political activist. He was born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, in 1934.  In 1986, the playwright and political activist became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. He dedicated…

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David Sengeh

Dr David Sengeh

Dr. David Moinina Sengeh is the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Chief Innovation Officer for the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Government of Sierra Leone. He is a senior TED Fellow. He also launched…

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Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Phumzile Mblambo-Ngcuka

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is Former Executive Director of UN Women & Deputy President of SA Founder of Umlambo Foundation Gender Activist and Campaigner for Universal Access to Education. She was sworn into office on 19 August 2013 and brings a wealth…

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Abdulzarak Gurnah

Abdulzarak Gurnah

Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah was born in 1948 on the island of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa. He came to Britain as a student in 1968. He is on the advisory board of the journal Wasafiri and lives in…

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Our Influence

How the electrifying Africa in the World 2019 keynote address sparked coding education projects for African children

As a Festival of ideas, Africa in the World is intentional about being  a change-maker.  We know that sometimes transformation takes time, and on this path, small gains are highly valuable. 

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