Reminiscent of the Olympic Games which unite people worldwide in their excitement for excellence in disciplines of sport, the Delphic Games of the Modern Era have been uniting people of all nations through visual and performing arts and culture since its revival in 1994.
And now, South Africans will be proud to know that Durban has been announced as the Host City for the African Delphic Games 2015.
The official launch of the African Delphic Games was held in Durban on Friday, 28 November and the Official Delphic Album launch in Johannesburg in early December 2014. Both events will be hosted by the African Delphic Council (ADC) and the National Delphic Council of South Africa (NDCSA).
His Royal Heritage, Zolani Mkiva, president of the ADC and the chairperson of the NDCSA says, “There will be something for everyone at the launch events. Arts and culture aficionados can expect some top-notch cultural performances from high-end talented African artists from South Africa – particularly local artists from Kwa-Zulu Natal, Ivory Coast, Swaziland, DRC, and Nigeria.”
In 1994, 100 years after the re-founding of the Olympic Games, 19 country representatives re-founded the Delphic Games in Berlin, Germany. The Delphic Games take place every four years in a chosen country however there has been a lapse since the previous Delphic Games held in Korea in 2009. 2015 will be the first time that the Delphic Games have been hosted on the African Continent and Durban is proud to be the first African Host City.
“We are so excited that Durban will be hosting the African Delphic Games 2015. This will allow South Africa and indeed Africa as a whole to showcase its talent across our diverse cultures to the rest of the World. We are committed to the welfare and the sustainability of Arts and Culture in South Africa and the African continent as a whole,” adds Zolani.
The public is invited to share in the festivities at the launch events where they can view some of Africa’s talents in the arts and culture sector. On the entertainment front, guests will be treated to music, dancing, praise singing as a form of poetry reading and visual art installations with traditional and contemporary paintings, photo exhibitions and sculptures by artists from across the African continent.
The South African Government has welcomed the announcement that Durban will be the host city for the African Delphic Games in 2015 and the MEC for Arts and Culture and Mayor of Durban have shown their support for this multicultural event.
It is part of the African Delphic Council’s commitment to the development of arts and culture in Africa, particularly in terms of empowering artists to become self-sustainable and professionally competitive at an international level.
The event is supported by the National Lotteries Board, The Institute of African Royalty, the Province of Kwa-Zulu Natal and the City of Durban.
