Europe Talks: A new programme for youth dialogue and cultural exchange launched by the French Institute of South Africa and the European Union

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of South Africa, is launching a new programme of dialogue and cultural exchange under the title Europe Talks, targeted particularly at youth.

Hosted at Dibukafé, the French and Francophone library of IFAS in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, the inaugural Europe Talks event will open on 21 May 2026 with the exhibition Growing Up Across Borders: Youth Stories from Johannesburg and Paris at Dibukafé, 70 Juta Street, Braamfontein, at 3pm.

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The Europe Talks programme will bring together public discussions, round tables and cultural events throughout 2026, aiming to:

• Create an open platform for dialogue around shared European and South African priorities, particularly for youth;
• Engage civil society, researchers, students, artists and cultural practitioners in conversations on political, social and cultural issues;
• Reinforce the visibility and relevance of the European Union and its Member States in South Africa’s public debate.

The programme is aligned with the South Africa-EU Strategic Partnership and responds to current social and global challenges through public engagement and cultural exchange.

Europe Talks events will focus on three main areas:

• Democratic values and social cohesion
• Collective responses to global challenges
• Youth engagement and intergenerational dialogue

Activities will include public debates, expert discussions, exhibitions and cultural events developed in collaboration with EU Member States and South African partners. Universities, think tanks, NGOs and cultural institutions will contribute to ensuring strong local partnerships and sustained public engagement.

Funded by the European Research Council and Université Paris 8, in partnership with local organisation Refugee Children’s project, the project explores themes of migration, connection and discrimination through creative responses of young people growing up in forced migratory contexts.

The exhibition highlights questions of identity, mobility, belonging and offers an opportunity to engage directly with young voices and their creative expressions, highlighting the role of art as a tool for advocacy, resilience and dialogue around global issues of migration and identity.

Dibukafé has rapidly established itself as a vibrant and credible platform for debate, culture and civic engagement in Braamfontein, Johannnesburg. Through the Europe Talks partnership, IFAS places this space at the service of a collective European ambition: fostering dialogue, cooperation and shared values with South Africa’s dynamic society.

IFAS looks forward to engaging with EU partners to co-construct a meaningful, visible and impactful programme throughout 2026, reflecting areas of common interest and shared responsibility.

About the French Institute of South Africa

The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) is the cultural arm of the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi. Based in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, IFAS develops projects across the fields of literature, visual arts, music, performance, debate and cultural co-creation, supporting dialogue between French and Southern African artists, researchers and cultural institutions.

For more information, please contact Alison Polley-Green.

About the European Union

The European Union is a key political partner to South Africa, and its primary trade and investment partner. As such, the European Union maintains a strategic partnership with the country, spanning political, economic, social and cultural priorities. Pretoria, as a major diplomatic and intellectual hub, hosts the EU Delegation and 22 diplomatic missions of the 27 EU Member States.

For more information, please contact Frank Oberholzer.