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25 February 2025 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Kaleidoscope Studios
G20 - 2025
G20 delegates from member countries and other invited guests in attendance at the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) and G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB) meetings and other side events.

Against the backdrop of the upcoming G20 Summit to be hosted by South Africa in November 2025, the University of the Free State (UFS) – in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) – held the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) and G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB) meetings on 23 and 24 February 2025.

In her opening address to G20 delegates from member countries, national and international knowledge partners, members of the Free State provincial government, and representatives of the DSTI, Prof Hester Klopper, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, indicated, “It is an honour for the UFS to be among the few South African universities to host this essential Research and Innovation Working Group.” In addition, she highlighted that the deliberations and discussions set to take place during this important workshop can set in motion chains of events ultimately contributing to improved lives for everyone. These sentiments were also echoed by Prof Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, who underscored the importance and historic nature of the upcoming G20 Summit.

In his virtual address, Minister Nzimande explained that South Africa’s chosen theme for the G20 Summit – Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability – was inspired by the general complexity of our time, “in particular the transnational nature of these complexities, such as conflict, the displacement of people, poverty”, among other things. As such, he expressed that in this case, cooperation among nations is becoming increasingly essential.

As they concluded their addresses, Prof Nzimande and Prof Klopper, wished the delegates well in their deliberations. ‘’May your discussions be successful, and your goals be achieved. And may your time with us lead to a renewed experience of the value of innovation through connection, ‘’expressed Prof Klopper.

 

Contributing events

As part of the programme at these proceedings, several side events took place. These included panel discussions with indigenous knowledge holders such as Telle Hoeses, Chief Language Practitioner for Khoi and San Languages, along with experts of indigenous medicine. The conversation focused on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and some of the key concerns and progress that these knowledge holders have made in the space. In addition, these knowledge holders, many of whom are business owners who sell products made from indigenous medicines, also had the opportunity to exhibit their products. According to Dan du Toit, Deputy Director-General: International Cooperation and Resources at the DSTI, these panel discussions with young people, bioeconomy researchers, and indigenous knowledge holders were an opportunity to gain access to a diversity of voices, which would not normally find expression in formal meetings. “It is also an opportunity for our international guests to get insight into who we are as a country and what some of our concerns might be,” said Du Toit.

One of the highly anticipated side events on the programme was the joint G20 RIWG and GIB event titled ‘UNESCO Women and Girls in Science’, which took place on 25 February 2025. The event took the form of a round-table discussion, in an attempt to answer the question: Based on your experiences in various roles within higher education in South Africa, Africa, and globally, what are some key insights regarding the role of universities in closing the gender gap in STEM, specifically concerning professional development and creating supportive research environments where everyone, especially women, can thrive?

Prof Anthea Rhoda; Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the UFS, was one of the contributors in this session. In response to the question, Prof Rhoda highlighted, “Universities should also be spaces characterised by intellectual freedom and freedom of expression, where archaic ideas about male superiority and patriarchy can be openly confronted and contested, without fear of victimisation. She expressed that an active way in which the UFS has committed itself to a culture of diversity and inclusion is through Vision130.

As she was wrapping up her address, Prof Rhoda also highlighted, “To address areas of underrepresentation of women in senior academic and leadership positions within the university, a Working Group on Gender Parity in Academic Leadership was established, with the critical mandate to drive attitudinal shifts, advocate for changes where necessary, and highlight barriers to women’s advancement.”

 

The programme comes to an end

The last day of the programme was reserved for comments, reflections, and discussions on deliverables. As such, there were positive responses to the way the deliberations took place. In fact, Hoese, speaking in her capacity as an indigenous knowledge holder, said, “This was a good platform for us to make progress towards language recognition and officialisation.”

News Archive

Standing ovation for the UFS Camerata in St Petersburg, Russia
2013-11-26

 
Jan Moritz Onken conducting the Camerata during their performance at the 13th International Conservatoire in St Petersburg, Russia.

The OSM CAMERATA (OSMC), flagship ensemble of the University of the Free State’s Odeion School of Music, received a standing ovation during a gala concert at the 13th International Conservatoire Festival presented on 7 November 2013 in the Glazunov Hall under the baton of Maestro Jan Moritz Onken.

The International Conservatory Festival was founded in 2001 by the St Petersburg Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory and has since then become an annual highlight on the concert calendar of St Petersburg.

For the last thirteen years, the festival has developed as a centre of excellence for artists, lecturers, and music experts who represent higher institutions of music from almost every continent. This forum has introduced more than 200 conservatories internationally, and literally produced hundreds of concerts, master’s classes and lectures. Internationally-acclaimed musicians such as Yuri Temirkanov, Rodion Shchedrin, Saulius Sondeckis, Krzysztof Penderecki, Valery Gergiev, Vasily Sinaisky and Semyon Bychkov, as well as young talented performers on the brink of their international careers, have participated in the festival over the years.

The OSMC presented the artistic director of the festival, Prof Lydia Volcheck, with audio-visual material as an audition and received a formal invitation from Prof Mikhail Gantvarg, Rector of the St Petersburg Rimsky Korsakov Conservatoire, in May 2013. Jan Moritz Onken (who was appointed as the OSMC chief conductor and artistic director for 2012) prepared the ensemble with vigour and discipline. Experienced international OSM alumni and several young international professionals served as mentors throughout the year preceding the event.

The OSMC gave two recitals during the festival – a gala performance in the Glazunov Hall, as well as a concert in the St Petersburg White Hall. For the first concert on 7 November (entitled FOUR CONTINENTS FESTIVAL), the OSMC shared the stage with a piano duo from the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music (Katowice, Poland), the String Quartet of the Colburn Conservatory of Music (Los Angeles, USA), as well as an ensemble of Japanese Traditional Instruments from the Tokyo University of the Arts (Japan).

After the last reverberating notes of the performance of the Phantom Waltz (a work commissioned by the OSM from the South African composer Hendrik Hofmeyr), a thunderous applause and shouts of bravo exploded! The OSMC responded spontaneously with a kwela improvisation as an encore.

Dagbreek broadcast: http://bit.ly/1evTgR3

 

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