A Platform for Dialogue Across Formats

From its inception, the IFAA Forum was envisioned as an open, accessible space. It has taken many forms over the years—live panel discussions and online webinars, film screenings and book launches, focus groups and seminars, and townhall-style gatherings. What unites these diverse formats is a consistent purpose: to facilitate the democratisation of progressive ideas and to create opportunities for the public to engage directly with intellectual, activist, and policymaking expertise.

The forum’s early years established a pattern of bold, timely engagement. In 2015, IFAA co-hosted a colloquium with the University of Cape Town and the Confucius Institute on China’s relations with Africa, bringing together distinguished policymakers and academics. A panel on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, organised with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, offered varying perspectives on transitional justice. In 2017, IFAA partnered with the Alternative Information Development Centre and Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education to host Professor Vivek Chibber for a public lecture on nationalism, drawing lessons from India. The annual Rethinking Economics for Africa Festival, which ran from 2017 to 2020 in partnership with other organisations, challenged orthodox economic thinking and amplified alternative paradigms.

Engaging Youth: From PhD Scholars to Grassroots Activists

Youth engagement has remained a high priority throughout the forum’s evolution. In 2024, IFAA hosted the Youth Speak Event at the University of Cape Town—a vibrant gathering that provided young voices with a platform to articulate their visions for South Africa’s future.

Building on that momentum, 2025 saw a significant milestone: a scholarly workshop marking the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter. Bringing together PhD scholars from the three main Cape Town universities—UCT, Stellenbosch, and the University of the Western Cape—the forum provided a rigorous space to interrogate the Charter’s economic clauses and debate their relevance to contemporary South Africa. Young scholars grappled with questions of wealth concentration, neoliberal policy failures, and the enduring promise of economic justice, demonstrating that the spirit of 1955 remains very much alive in the country’s universities.

The Green Roadshow: Sustainability in Practice

Among the most exciting developments in 2025 was the emergence of the Green Roadshow as a signature programme. Designed to bridge environmental awareness with practical action, the roadshow builds on the principles of the circular economy—transforming waste into wealth and reclaiming urban spaces for sustainable use.

The series unfolded across the year with remarkable energy. In June, the Youth Month edition in Kensington offered hands-on training in composting, foraging, and waste recycling. August’s Women’s Month edition drew over 50 participants to Community House for zero-waste living sessions. September’s Heritage Month edition at Oude Molen Eco Village explored the intersection of cultural heritage and sustainability through guided tours of hydroponics gardens and e-waste recycling projects.

The December roadshow, held at the Peace Centre in Mowbray and themed “Repurpose, Reclaim, Reimagine,” brought the year’s work to a powerful close. In collaboration with weRagency and Soil for Life, the event blended practical workshops on composting and indigenous plant identification with a poignant commemoration of peace activist Rommel Roberts, the Peace Centre’s founder. Fifteen youth constituents from Hanover Park participated actively, embodying the programme’s commitment to grassroots engagement. Participants left equipped with tangible skills—transforming organic waste into nutrient-rich soil, identifying medicinal indigenous plants, and understanding how community-led initiatives can drive urban renewal.

Expanding Reach: Online Forums and New Agenda

The forum programme has also embraced digital formats to expand its reach. In November 2025, IFAA hosted a pivotal online forum titled “The Greenwashing of Our Universities: How Fossil Fuel Money Compromises Research and Blocks a Just Transition.” In partnership with Fossil Free South Africa and Open Secrets, the event launched research exposing corporate influence in South African higher education, drawing stark parallels with historical tobacco industry tactics. The discussion drew approximately 30 attendees from academia, civil society, and the public, and the recording has since been disseminated across IFAA’s digital platforms to extend the conversation’s impact.

Meanwhile, IFAA’s flagship journal, New Agenda, has served as an extension of the forum programme. The third quarterly issue of 2025, published on the UWC Scholar Publishing Support platform, featured articles emerging directly from forum discussions—including a piece titled “South Africa’s Social Compact: Can it be Achieved?” alongside a sidebar by the chairperson of the National Dialogue’s organising committee. The digitalisation of New Agenda, supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation and additional funding from Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), has enabled the journal to reach nearly 5,000 subscribers, ensuring that the ideas generated in forums continue to circulate widely.

Looking Forward

As IFAA looks toward 2026, the forum programme is poised to deepen its impact. With South Africa’s local government elections on the horizon, the forums will provide critical spaces for civil society, parliamentarians, and community leaders to reflect on the findings of recent research—including IFAA’s DECODE project—and to explore practical pathways for accountable governance. The Green Roadshow will continue to evolve, equipping communities with the skills to build sustainable, resilient urban environments. And the commitment to youth engagement remains unwavering: from PhD scholars debating economic justice to young activists learning to transform waste into wealth, IFAA’s forums continue to cultivate the next generation of critical thinkers and changemakers.

In a time of profound social and environmental challenges, the IFAA Forum programme offers something indispensable: a space where ideas are tested, skills are shared, and communities are built. It is a space where the promise of a more just and sustainable South Africa is not only discussed but actively practised.