30-10-2012: Joburg welcomes African Grantmakers Network Assembly for a week of debate and discussion
This week, Johannesburg Tourism Company, in partnership with the SA National Convention Bureau and Gauteng Tourism Authority, will be extending a warm welcome to an assembly of 400 delegates, attending the Second Biennial African Grantmakers’ Network Assembly at Turbine Hall in Newtown, from 30 October – 2 November 2012. They also sponsored and hosted a welcome reception dinner for attendees at Moyo Zoo Lake on Monday, 29 October.
The African Grantmakers’ Network is a continent-wide platform to grow an African voice and agenda for philanthropy. Africa has a long deeply rooted traditions of solidarity and social giving, but What’s Now, What’s New and What’s Next, are questions to be addressed this week by donors and NGO’s attending the assembly. “What approach should private African philanthropists take to support transformative and lasting change - and should they work with others?” These will be just some of the issues which will be tackled in a punchy debate between chief executives and founders of African philanthropic foundations, which will kick-start the proceedings at the 2012 Assembly. 30 October – 1 November have been designated as the main conference days, with satellite meetings taking place on 29 October and 2 November. The assembly will be supported with an exhibition.
“We’re thrilled to welcome delegates from across the globe to Joburg to attend this conference which addresses such significant social and economic issues,” says Phelisa Mangcu, Acting CEO, Joburg Tourism. “We trust that while visiting Joburg, they will also have the chance to take time out and enjoy what the City has to offer visitors from a leisure, lifestyle, culture, heritage and entertainment perspective.”
African Grantmakers Network (AGN) is a continent-wide network of African grantmaking organizations that facilitates networking and experience sharing among established and emerging African philanthropic institutions. AGN aims at consolidating the voice for African philanthropy to address social justice and development issues on the continent.
The Network was launched in 2009 at an inaugural convening led by: the African Womens’ Development Fund (AWDF), Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) and TrustAfrica (TA). The AGN steering committee was then formed, comprising its founding members and additional members, including the Southern Africa Trust (SAT), the Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), Akiba Uhaki Foundation (AUF). For more information visit: www.africangrantmakersnetwork.org
JOBURG’S GDS 2040
“In terms of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy [GDS] – the Joburg 2040 [www.joburg.org.za/gds2040] - tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the city’s agenda. It is an important catalyst to encourage the development of the SMME sector in order to stimulate the growth and development of a vibrant second economy. It is Johannesburg Tourism’s strategy mission to attract visitors to Joburg, encourage them to stay longer, spend more, improve seasonality patterns and the spread of visitors across the city.”
In line with these developments and as part of the institutional review process to effect closer alignment with City goals, this year Joburg Tourism Company is being incorporated into the City’s Communication & Tourism Group. The GDS is coupled to the city’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and both are aligned with the National Planning Commission’s New Growth Path.
“Our ongoing local and international promotional campaigns include exhibiting at business and leisure trade exhibitions where Joburg Tourism shares its plans to maintain, defend and grow its market share,” says Mangcu. “As the City of Johannesburg’s destination marketing organisation, Joburg Tourism remains focused on positioning the not only as the continent’s leading business hub, but also as an exciting, vibrant year-round destination for signature events, lifestyle, the arts, culture, fashion, sports – and of course, mega-events.
