25 – 29 May 2025

Cape Town, South Africa

Urbanisation is an irreversible reality already shaping Africa’s future; we must embrace and actively transform our cities… or risk being overwhelmed by them.

We live in a state of catalytic tension. Steeped in a polycrisis that interlays access to resources, climate impacts, unemployment, limited mobility, human-nature conflict and deficits of leadership, it is easy for us to become paralysed, especially when many of the drivers of these crises seem beyond our control. As individuals and communities, we are impacted by the choices and actions made by others — by businesses, networks, organisations, leaders, neighbours — both within and beyond the African context. Despite the paralytic potential of this polycrisis, we ask, “How can we not act?!” Amidst acknowledging the already strained systems in our African cities, we are still drawn to them as sites of hope and innovation. Hope has an incredible property that helps us navigate the winding pathways of possibility, revealing that even in the midst of calamity, there are always ways to address our challenges. How might we inspire individuals and communities to take action to meet their present and future dreams? Better yet, what transformations need to take place for their imaginaries to become tangible, positively impacting their lives?

The #RISEAfrica2025 photo competition is now open! This year’s theme, Where We Gather, calls for entries that showcase places of belonging and collective action—spaces that inspire unity and inclusivity. Learn more and submit your entry by 20 March 2025.

Do you have an inspiring urban project or solution? If you’re attending the 2025 Urban Action Festival, seize the opportunity to share it through a Microtalk—an engaging two-minute, one-slide presentation that highlights locally-driven actions shaping African cities. Open to researchers, government officials, private sector representatives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, Microtalks showcase innovation, spark collaboration, and inspire change. Applications close on 31 March 2025, with final presentations due by 9 May 2025. Please note that presenters must cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

Festival themes