re:publica, Europe’s largest conference on digital and social topics, is set to be hosted in Accra, Ghana and for the first time in Africa.
The event, which is set to host politicians, entrepreneurs, bloggers, scientists and activists, will be held at the Round Pavilion at the Trade Fair in Accra on December 14 and 15, 2018 with the theme: “Next Level.”
Notable among speakers to participate at the two-day event are Prof. Nii Quaynor, Farida Bemba Nabourema, Yemisi Adegoke, Wanlov The Kubolor, Kwame A. A. Opoku, Jemila Abdulai, Kwame Acheampong, Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Nontsikelelo Mutiti, Steve Song, Douglas Ian Scott and Jorge Appiah.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is the main partner of the first re:publica on the African continent, will also present inspiring sessions that will be used to discuss how digital technologies with innovative solutions can contribute to mastering global challenges.
One of the keynote speakers for the event, Nanjala Nyabola, an author, will be speaking about the limits of technology in her talk: “What Technology Can’t Fix.”
Mozilla Foundation Executive Director, Mark Surman, will be in dialogue with other high-profile participants on a panel about internet access.
Architect and anthropologist Sénamé Koffi Ag-bodjinou, initiator of the platform: “L’Africaine d’architecture,” and founder of WoeLab, is speaking at the re:publica Accra about: “Future Cities.”
A multifaceted evening programme will also be held to connect artistic perspectives with digital topics and across continents.
Presentations will include the internationally renowned artist Kudzanai Chiu-rai from Zimbabwe and a screening of We Live in Silence with a live soundtrack by the award-winning musician Manifest, who’s been described by The Guardian (UK) amongst others as “the foremost rapper on the continent”.
Andreas Gebhard, co-founder and CEO of re:publica GmbH, says: “The re:publica is an event for digital society. It’s global and thus international! But I say that without wishing to ignore regional differences. How can we work together to shape and design the digital society when regional differences create very different frame-work conditions for it? Whether in Berlin, Los Angeles or Accra, re:publica creates space for dialogue and ex-change between equals. I’m very pleased that we can now create these spaces on three continents.”