Trailblazing pan-Africanist and branding guru Thebe Ikalafeng will join the second annual fundraising dinner of Gaborone Book Festival to champion literacy and celebrate Africa’s untold stories
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
On June 11, the Gaborone Book Festival (GBF) will host its second annual fundraising dinner in an elegant evening where books will meet purpose and ideas spark change.
The event, featuring celebrated pan-Africanist and global branding authority, Thebe Ikalafeng, promises more than just fine dining; it will be a rallying call to support literacy and ignite imaginations in Botswana’s most underserved classrooms.
The proceeds from the dinner will directly support GBF’s year-long School Outreach Programme, particularly its Read Aloud Activations that are countrywide reading sessions that reach primary schools in low-income and hard-to-reach communities.
Over 100 000 students
Since its inception in 2018, the programme has impacted over 100,000 students, planting the invaluable seed of a lifelong reading culture. “We mainly focus on African literature and Batswana authors. Thebe believes in the infinite power of this continent and its people,” said GBF co-founder, Kenanao Phele, in an interview.
Thebe Ikalafeng is no stranger to breaking borders and building bridges. As a Hall of Fame global African branding expert and author of the bestselling book, The Traveller: Crossing Borders and Connecting Africa, Ikalafeng has visited every country in Africa and every continent on the planet.
Steeped in cultural connections and brand-building across nations, his journey reflects a relentless advocacy for Africa’s renaissance. Recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine and as one of the 100 Most Reputable Africans, Ikalafeng’s voice is one that transcends borders and redefines narratives.
An advocate of all things African
At the GBF dinner, he will engage guests in a rich conversation centred on his book — a testament to the resilience, creativity and vibrancy of the continent that he champions. “He is an advocate of all things African … and has deep family roots here in Botswana in Molepolole where his paternal grandfather comes from,” said Phele.
For six years, the Gaborone Book Festival Trust has tirelessly worked to cultivate Botswana’s reading culture through diverse platforms — from its flagship annual festival and free book clubs to its transformative children’s programmes. The forthcoming fundraising dinner stands as a beacon of hope, reaffirming GBF’s mission to democratise access to literature and ensure that no child is left behind.
PULL QUOTE: The proceeds from the dinner will directly support GBF’s year-long School Outreach Programme, particularly its Read Aloud Activations