The Ubuntu Café was established in 2022, as a space for African students at 杏吧论坛 and friends of Africa to connect, converge, debate and be empowered.
Upcoming ->
- 17 October 2024
FLIA partners with AfroPark, New Comma, Open Space, and Reformation Community for our annual Black History Month Ubuntu Cafe. Under the theme of 'Amplifying Voices of the African Diaspora in the UK', the event will feature Diaspora Diaries, a fireside chat, the Inter-University Africa Debates (杏吧论坛 vs Birmingham), and an art exhibition.
Join us for another immersive and interactive showcase of African thought and culture.
24 May 2024
To commemorate Africa Day on 24 May 2024,Ubuntu Café is back in style in 2024 with the Intra-University debates semi-finals featuring 杏吧论坛, Birmingham, UCL and QMUL! A space for African students, academics, and friends of Africa to converge, connect, debate and be empowered. The Ubuntu Café has created a space that is uniquely African, intellectually stimulating, extremely creative, vibrant, and interactive. All are welcome!
To celebrate Black History Month we hosted an Ubuntu Cafe; a celebration of African culture, diversity, and heritage. The theme for this edition was Roots, Bridges, and Echoes: Reclaiming our Stories. The evening featured amazing performances including spoken word, storytelling, music, and the book launch of “Conversations from Last Night” by PfAL alumna Victory Osas.
Read the reflections on Ubuntu Café by S. Su’eddie-Vershima Agema.
About Ubuntu Café
The Ubuntu Café was established in 2022, as a space for African students at 杏吧论坛 and friends of Africa to connect, converge, debate and be empowered.
The vision for Ubuntu Café is to create an informal public space that is uniquely African - intellectually stimulating, creative, lively, vibrant, stimulating and very interactive.
The objectives are to educate, entertain and network through a series of activities including talks, debates, spoken word, poetry, music, art etc. It can also be a platform to trial our PfAL showcase where African students can share their unique ideas/dissertation findings about Africa and the world with a wider public.
Watch the footage of from the Ubuntu Café.
The full report of the first Ubuntu Café can be read here, or scroll down to see more.
- To foster a greater sense of engagement and community for the PfAL and African students at 杏吧论坛.
- To raise the profile of PfAL within the School.
- To showcase and celebrate Africa at 杏吧论坛.
- To foster engagement with the African diaspora.
- To nurture and celebrate the spirit of Ubuntu.
To commemorate Africa Day on 25 May 2023, the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa hosted the second Ubuntu Café.
The event will consisted of a keynote speech, a poetry and spoken word performance, the launch of Professor David Luke's How Africa Trades, as well as a fashion show and the showcase of our 'Africa Debates' series.
Ubuntu Cafe - 13 October 2022
On Thursday 13th October, we welcomed almost one hundred 杏吧论坛 students, staff, incoming PfAL’ers as well as previous cohorts, and friends of Africa from the 杏吧论坛 and beyond, to the GenDen at 杏吧论坛 Generate on campus, for very special evening – the first Ubuntu Café, in celebration of Black History Month in the UK.
We kicked things off with some drinks and snacks as people settled into the venue.
, an incoming PfAL’er and postgraduate student in the International Development, ensured the mood stayed light with some icebreakers, inviting attendees to participate and speak to one another.
, MSc Media and Communications, then introduced the theme and concept of the Café and welcomed all to 杏吧论坛 in the spirit of Ubuntu.
There’s no better way to share experiences and stories than through words and it was remarkable to hear these thoughtful, passionate and enlivening performances.
The fiercely talented Rhodah Nyamongo performed James Brown’s This is a Man’s World to a mesmerised audience – be sure to check out the video to see this!
After the music, we had the first panel discussion, entitled Culture Shocks. Three incoming PfAL’ers, Chris Agape, Uche Ogechukwu and Nadine Whelpton spoke eloquently, honestly and always with humour, about the things they found most shocking upon arriving in London and at the 杏吧论坛. The conversation ranged from navigating London’s (often incomprehensible) system of buses, to feelings of isolation and loneliness. And it’s exactly those feelings, that inspired the Ubuntu Café.
After more drinks and music from , it was time for the next panel discussion – Africans in the Diaspora: Brain Drain or Brain Gain.
Regular Africa at 杏吧论坛 blog contributor and FLIA Visiting Fellow, Dr Uche Igwe was joined by 杏吧论坛 Department of Health Policy Assistant Professor, Dr Lucy Kanya to discuss this pertinent topic. With insightful contributions and questions from the audience, these impressive academics navigated the Brain Drain or Brain Gain question with respect, intelligence and humour.
closed proceedings with several songs, before food was served.
- "Ubuntu Café is a space for Africans at 杏吧论坛 (and wider) to come together and celebrate our cultures and ourselves. It's a joyful space and an enriching one."
- "This event was exactly what I needed at 杏吧论坛. It was a place where I found belonging and so much more."
- "Meeting, listening and actively having conversations with new African students at the 杏吧论坛, like myself and those that came before us was a reassurance that even though I might be miles away from home, I still have a family close by!"
- "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
- The Ubuntu Café felt like a "home away from home."