Photography by Hans Mooren.
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
The South African Embassy in The Hague participated and supported the 2015 edition of the Kweku Summer Festival, 17 July – 9 August 2015 at Nelson Mandela Park, Amsterdam.
“Honour the Life and Legacy of Mr Nelson Mandela”
The Kweku Summer Festival is a grand celebration of cultural diversity and identity. The main ingredients are culture, music, and food of Caribbean, African and Latin American heritage. The average attendance is about 15.000 people per day, and can run up towards 200.000 visitors in the whole festival period.
Kweku is one of the iconic festivals of Amsterdam City Marketing. It is of the same calibre as Holland Festival and the international documentary festival Amsterdam, IDFA.
Amsterdam has had a very special relationship with Madiba and South Africa’s struggle for liberation in that it housed one of the most active anti-Apartheid movements and as such the city was the scene of numerous anti-Apartheid demonstrations during the 1980s. The city also housed the ANC Chief Representative Office in 1989.
The 2015 edition of the Kweku Summer Festival was opened by Marjorie da Cunha, board member of the festival. In her welcome remarks, Da Cunha not only warmly welcomed the Ambassador of South Africa, Ambassadors, and the MEC of Eastern Cape, but also expressed her gratitude for the very pleasant cooperation in preparing the festival with the Embassy of South Africa.
H.E. Mr. Bruce V Koloane, Ambassador of South Africa, was the next speaker. He was followed by Mr. Sakkies Somyo, MEC for the Province of Eastern Cape, who traveled to Amsterdam with a delegation especially for the festival. Mr. Nelson Mandela himself hailed from the Eastern Cape Province.
July 18th, International Mandela Day, was henceforth officially launched.
The program proceeded with literature, music ‘Berita’, dance, poetry by Diana Ferrus and a fashion show featuring traditional styles from the Eastern Cape. Guests were treated to a range of South African delicacies such as Boerewors, potjie kos, pap and sause.
