South Africa - EU Inspiring Thinkers events series "Racism: A Threat to Democratic Societies"

Running since 2013, the "EU Inspiring Thinkers Series" is composed of dialogues on critical and challenging themes that respond to the interests of South African civil society.

The European Inspiring Thinkers Series III was launched on 17 February in Cape Town - coinciding with the end of the parliamentary season. “Racism: A Threat to Democratic Societies” was addressed in four dialogues in three cities: 

1. Panel discussion at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), Friday, 17 February, Cape Town

Audience: political/civic leaders in Cape Town for opening of Parliament

2. Public dialogue: at IJR, Friday, 17 February, Cape Town

Theme: “Fighting racism and building social cohesion”

Audience: civil society (with a focus on youth)

3. Student exchange at the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), Monday, 20 February, Pretoria

Theme: Racism and inequality

Audience: students

4. Stakeholder round-table at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Monday, 20 February, Johannesburg

Theme: Fighting racism and building social cohesion

Audience: civil society focusing on human rights and anti-discrimination

4 SA partners/co-organisers: EU Delegation to South Africa, in partnership with Anti-Racism Network of South Africa (ARNSA), Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and Foundation for Human Rights (FHR).

A total of 128 participants attended and had an active exchange with the panellists. EUPOP successfully targeted beyond the usual participants: 71% of those surveyed had never been to an event on EU-SA relations. 57% rated it as “rather good”, and 43% rated it as “very good”. All participants expressed an increased understanding of EU anti-racism policies – 60% “totally agreed”. However one event can not be expected to change people´s “view of the EU”: indeed 55% said their opinion was unchanged.

Watch the video from the events: