The UNESCO International Jazz Day Seminar and Celebration was held at the De Beers Centenary Gallery at the University of Fort Hare on 30 April 2026. The event was convened by the UNESCO ‘Oliver Tambo’ Chair of Human Rights in partnership with the South African National Commission for UNESCO. It brought together academics, policymakers, and cultural practitioners to examine the role of the arts in advancing education, promoting cultural understanding, and safeguarding heritage within a sustainable development framework.
Proceedings commenced with a guided engagement at the gallery, after which Mr Carlton Mukwevho, Secretary-General of the South African Commission for UNESCO, delivered the opening address. He positioned International Jazz Day as a vital platform for intercultural dialogue, creative expression, and social cohesion. Emphasising jazz as both an artistic and intellectual tradition, he highlighted its capacity to embody resilience, nurture innovation, and advance freedom of expression. He further underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in strengthening cultural diplomacy and integrating the arts more meaningfully into education systems.
Providing institutional context, Prof Moses Phooko, Chair of the UNESCO ‘Oliver Tambo’ Chair of Human Rights, outlined the work of the Chair, based in Alice. He reflected on its contribution to strengthening human rights education and fostering civic awareness across communities and public institutions. Central to this work is the promotion of practical, values-driven learning that equips individuals to apply human rights principles within governance, service delivery, and everyday social interactions.
The programme concluded with a panel discussion themed “Fostering Freedom, Creativity, and Unity”, moderated by Professor Nomthandazo Ntlama-Makhanya. Panellists, including Prof Ferim Valery, Mr Mbulelo Dayimane from Lovedale TVET College, and Dr Thozama April, explored jazz as both a creative discipline and a pedagogical tool. Discussions highlighted its capacity to enhance critical thinking, deepen cultural literacy, and support interdisciplinary learning. The panel further reflected on jazz as a medium through which global conversations on peace, identity, and diplomacy can be meaningfully engaged within educational spaces.
A key focus of the deliberations was the role of educators, institutions, and communities in broadening young people’s engagement with jazz beyond performance. By positioning jazz as a lens through which complex social themes and creative inquiry can be explored, stakeholders affirmed its relevance in cultivating innovation, reflective thinking, and social consciousness among learners.
The seminar reaffirmed the transformative potential of the arts, particularly jazz, as an integral component of holistic education. By bridging cultural expression with human rights and learning, the event highlighted the importance of embedding the arts within educational discourse to develop informed, critically engaged, and culturally aware citizens.