Where hearts and minds meet: In pursuit of global ‘citizen diplomacy’ Living Rights Festival

Abstract

In initiating the inaugural Living Rights Festival, the Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA) has introduced a new term --
‘living rights’. The term, initially coined by IFAA’s Acting Director Ari Sitas, developed through iterative discussion and was eventually penned by festival organiser Nazeema Mohamed. Once the concept of ‘living rights’ was clear, organisers deliberated on the what, who, how, when and where? The big questions to Sitas from the team were: Why a festival? Was it appropriate in a world in mayhem? What were we celebrating? And should we even be celebrating at all in the face of global crisis?