Call for applications: Hivos announces second edition of African Crossroads
Are you living or working in Africa and interested in exploring the continent’s cutting-edge trends in art, technology, design, and entrepreneurship? Would you like to join a community of Africans working to positively shape the future of African cities? Apply before June 23 to attend Hivos’ African Crossroads 2019: Sense the City from November 20 to 23, 2019, in Mombasa, Kenya.
Imagining the future of African cities
For centuries, Africa’s cities have been connected by networks of knowledge and innovation. In the 21st century some of these ancient meeting places have become the fastest growing cities in the world. By the end of this century, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa and Lagos are expected to be mega-metropolises with over 80 million inhabitants. This is also creating urban challenges such as traffic congestion and pollution, unsustainable food production, increasing levels of stress, and a lack of public spaces.
That is why the 150 participants of this year’s African Crossroads will examine the diversity of African cities in all their multi-sensory aspects. How do we sense the African cities of today and tomorrow? How do these cities sound, taste, feel, and move? And how do they sense us in return? African Crossroads 2019 will consist of four tracks. The first three days will feature round tables, workshops, artworks, and product and innovation displays. The event will conclude with a fourth open day when the participants will share their ideas and conclusions with the public.
If you want to have any idea of that world that is coming, the world ahead of us, look at Africa.
Achille Mbembe, philosopher and political theorist
Taste
This track unveils the taste of the African cities with the latest developments, enterprises, and innovations in urban food. What is street food and what is sustainable food in 21st century Africa?
Sound
This track focuses on the voices of African cities: the oral history, storytellers, music industries etc. active on the continent. What do African cities sound like?
Feel
This track looks at the urban fabric of the city. How do we feel the city? What is the “skin” of the city? We will explore fashion and other ways the city touches us.
Move
This track follows the movements and energy of African cities and aims to spark discussions on energy streams, urban transportation and logistics. How do we move through the city?
African Crossroads
With African Crossroads, Hivos brings together a community of future-oriented African thinkers and doers every year to critically reflect on the most cutting-edge entrepreneurial, artistic and technological developments happening in Africa. By connecting African artists, computer scientists, designers, researchers, philosophers, entrepreneurs, and others, African Crossroads allows a multidisciplinary community to positively shape the future of African societies together.
