Case Study: Africa Day

Client: Irish Aid (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Dates: May 2008 to present date

The African-Union designated Africa Day falls on 25th May each year.  Its aim is to celebrate African diversity and success, and to highlight the cultural and economic potential that exists on the continent of Africa.  Since the publication of the White Paper on Irish Aid in 2006, the Irish Government – through the Irish Aid division of the Department of Foreign Affairs – has made a commitment to support Africa Day events in Ireland on an annual basis.  In 2007, Irish Aid marked Africa Day with a series of low-key cultural and academic events.  Since 2008, DHR Communications has worked with Irish Aid to establish a high-profile identity for Africa Day through the organisation of flagship celebratory events.

In 2008, we were contracted by Irish Aid to project manage and promote its inaugural Africa Day flagship event, ‘Africa Day @ Dublin Castle’, a free family day, open to all members of the public, and aimed at promoting a more comprehensive understanding of Africa in Ireland.  In 2009 and 2010, DHR Communications worked with Irish Aid on the organisation and promotion of two flagship events: Africa Day Limerick (in the grounds of Limerick City Hall) and Africa Day Dublin (in the Iveagh Gardens), both of which took place in May each year.  This year, we continue to work with Irish Aid to promote Africa Day 2011 throughout Ireland.

For the flagship Africa Day events over the past three years, DHR Communications has had responsibility for overall event management, including logistics and programming, in addition to all aspects of public communications, including marketing and PR tasks.  Our work over the past three years has resulted in the establishment of a strong Africa Day ‘brand’ in Ireland.  It is now firmly embedded as an annual celebration, which receives tremendous support and feedback from grassroots African community groups, as well as the general public.  In relation to developing the Africa Day ‘brand’ and delivering consistently high-quality event outputs for Irish Aid, DHR Communications undertook the following key tasks:

  • Planning and managing a significant event budget each year, and providing regular financial reports to Irish Aid.
  • Devising the layout and programme for each flagship event and sourcing all programme content, performers and event contributors.
  • Ongoing communications with hundreds of grassroots groups throughout the country, which were involved in either the flagship Africa Day events or in local events being supported by Irish Aid.
  • Sourcing and managing food and drink concessions for all flagship events, with a particular focus on African food-suppliers and producers.
  • Devising the Health and Safety procedures and overall Event Plan for each individual venue, and overseeing implementation of same.
  • Recruiting and managing third-party providers, including AV technicians, sound engineers, stage crew, set-up crew and security staff.
  • Recruiting and managing an extensive team of Africa Day volunteers, who were involved in key tasks, both in the run-up to the flagship events and at each event itself.
  • Ongoing liaison with all relevant authorities including the relevant city councils, licensing authorities, An Garda Síochána, the Office of Public Works, and the fire and ambulance services.
  • Managing the de-rig of the site and venue clean-up after each event.
  • Management of the Africa Day website (www.africaday.ie), which serves as the central source of information on the annual celebrations.  In 2009, we undertook a complete overhaul of the existing site and worked with Irish Aid’s web design company to implement a new and improved website, the plan for which was devised entirely by DHR Communications.  We were also responsible for updating and maintaining the site on a daily basis.
  • Establishing a strong online presence for Africa Day through the use of free tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.  The Africa Day Facebook page – which was updated by DHR Communications on an almost daily basis – recorded a three-fold increase in membership over a two-month period during 2009 (from approximately 200 members in March 2009 to 650 members in May of that year).  In 2010, the membership of the page rose to 1,500.
  • Liaising with Irish Aid’s graphic design company and printers on the development of a logo and all ensuing promotional materials, including fliers, posters, event programmes and event signage.
  • Drafting and proof-reading the wording for – and managing the distribution of – key promotional materials, including 3,000 posters and 20,000 fliers for the 2009 and 2010 celebrations.
  • Devising and implementing an extensive public relations plan for Africa Day.

The flagship Africa Day events have showcased African and Irish music, literature, art and dance.  The 2008 event at Dublin Castle featured readings and spoken word performances by the likes of Dublin-based Nigerian playwright Bisi Adigun; journalist Roisin Ingle and internationally acclaimed Ghanaian author and performance poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes.  The exhibition space featured a display of Ethiopian textiles and artefacts; a photo exhibition telling the stories of African immigrants to Ireland, and artwork produced by school-children involved in Irish Aid’s education programme.  Grassroots African community groups gave impromptu song and dance performances throughout the day, while the main stage played host to headline act Kanda Bongo Man, alongside Irish and African performers including Sinead O’Connor, Republic of Loose, the Discovery Gospel Choir, the Millionaire Boyz and Stone & Jezreel.

The 2009 events followed a similar format, and featured musical performances from the likes of Jape, the Children of Soweto, Cathy Davey, Kíla, Niwel Tsumbu and the world-renowned Vieux Farka Touré.  In 2010, the cultural content was further expanded to include African cookery demonstrations with Ross Golden-Bannon and Donal Skehan; music workshops; a panel discussion on overseas aid chaired by RTÉ newscaster Bryan Dobson; an ‘Africa Day Book Club’ discussion with inputs from Chinedu Onyejelm, Orla Barry, Hugo Hamilton and Claire Kilroy; and the involvement of over 30 associations representing different African countries.

The inaugural flagship Africa Day event attracted 10,000 visitors to Dublin Castle in 2008.  The events held in Limerick for the past two years saw approximately 4,000 visitors enjoying the activities on offer, while up to 20,000 people came to the Africa Day Dublin events in 2009 and 2010.

Extensive media coverage in the run-up to the flagship events has played a large role in the success of Africa Day.  In 2008, DHR Communications made a successful pitch to The Irish Times to devote the entire Saturday Magazine to the promotion of Africa Day and related themes the day before the Dublin Castle event.  The event was also featured across news programmes on all national television and radio stations, in addition to garnering high levels of coverage in listings, features and sectoral media.  Similarly high levels of media coverage were secured in 2009 and 2010. To view samples of media coverage from Africa Day, click here.

Africa Day 2009 won the ‘Event of the Year’ category at the annual Business and Excellence Awards, run by Bold and Beautiful magazine, one of the most popular publications for African communities in Ireland.

Footage from Africa Day 2010

To view footage from Irish Aid’s Africa Day Dublin event, which took place in May 2010, click on the video image below:

(Footage recorded and edited by Manu Di Marco, volunteer film-maker for Africa Day 2010)

Footage from ‘Africa Day @ Dublin Castle’, May 2008, can be viewed here.

Further information about Africa Day is available at www.africaday.ie.  Further information about Irish Aid is available at www.irishaid.gov.ie.

Feedback from those involved in Africa Day, and in other events organised by DHR Communications on behalf of our clients, is available here.