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Exclusive screening of the inspirational ‘Africa United’ tomorrow

Canonjon — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 23:09:31 +0000

If you’re looking for something to do tomorrow, look no further. Screening Africa at the Africa Centre is hosting an exclusive showcasing of ‘Africa United‘ by director Debs Garner-Paterson. There will also be a Q&A after the film with the director.

Africa United tells the extraordinary story of three Rwandan children and their bid to achieve their ultimate dream – to take part in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Football World Cup in Johannesburg.
On the way to the vital selection trial, disaster strikes when Fabrice, Dudu and Beatrice board the wrong bus and cross into the Congo. Without papers, money or a believable story, they are escorted to a children’s refugee camp. But with considerable ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), our pint-sized heroes escape the camp and set off in pursuit of their dream, picking up along the way a “dream team” of displaced kids, who help them negotiate a series of thrilling and hilarious adventures.
During their 3,000 mile journey, we encounter an Africa few people ever see; experience an epic adventure across seven countries; and feel the joy, laughter and hope that comes from making an incredible journey together.

…
Entry Fee: £5 at the door.

Programme for the Screening Africa at The Africa Centre:

3:30PM: START – Doors open
4:30PM: Screening of Africa United
6:00PM: Screening ends
6:30PM: Q&A with Director
7:00PM: Mingling with director
7:30PM: END

Doors open at 3.30pm for food and mingling, film starts at 4.30pm.

The Africa Centre
38 King Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 8JT

For more info contact Joseph: 07931 648 652 or Sheila: 07830 266 502
Nearest tube: Covent Garden.

There’s also great food and a bar at The Africa Centre. Delicious African food will be available on sale £5 per plate and the bar will be open before and after the screening.

South Africa farewell

Canonjon — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:33:16 +0000

It was often said before the World Cup that South Africa is the world’s best kept secret. Well now, after successfully hosting one of the most exciting and memorable World Cup tournaments in history, its safe to say – the secret is well and truly out.

I’ve tried to regularly share my experiences and observations whilst being here and I hope – if you’re not familiar with South Africa – that my ramblings have given you some valuable insight and sparked a little intrigue.

To come to a place like South Africa and allow what you’ve heard to control your actions and poison your perception is a crime, it defeats the purpose of your journey (unless you’re here purely on business). In reality, very few things in life meet your expectations, whatever they are – for better or for worse. In South Africa’s case, in my experience, this place has been positively so much more than I could have wished for.

If I was expecting to have a torturous time, dodging bullets, running from machete gangs and ballsing my valuables – I can near enough guarantee that at least one of those delightful experiences would have been granted to me. Instead, I came here with my arms wide open and surprise surprise, the majority of people I met here greeted me in kind. Granted – I wasn’t dripping with diamonds and holding an iPad in one hand and a Blackberry in the other – but do that in London’s Liverpool street or New York’s 5th street and you’re simply courting trouble.

There are areas of South Africa where people are desperately poor, living in Townships and squats where their comforts are tin roofs and roadside fires. Many people know about these things (from a far) but you’ve got to see it with you’re own eyes and breathe in the smoke.

Damning and avoiding a whole country (in many cases – the whole continent) in ignorant fear of the millions of people who are living in dire conditions is not going to help anybody. I sincerely encourage you to travel to places all over the world that you may have unjustly formed a negative opinion of, challenge your perceptions, get your hands dirty and open a dialogue with the people who actually live there. If you have no opinion there’s less excuses and even more reason to get involved and form one.

I’ve always been curious about South Africa and I’m exceedingly thankful for the opportunity I was given to be here.

My only regret is that I waited for an opportunity and didn’t make it my business to be here sooner.

Alas, this brings my South African journey to a close, next stop?

I hear there’s a well known football tournament happening somewhere in South America in a couple of years…

Louis Vuitton x Naomi Campbell x FIFA?!

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:00:32 +0000

With the World Cup final now set to be Spain vs The Netherlands, Luis Vuitton took it upon themselves to showcase the coveted World Cup Trophy in a specially designed case.

The celebrated World Cup Trophy measures 36 cm in height, weighs 6.175 kg and is made of solid 18-carat gold with a base of semi-precious malachite. To accommodate this prestigious prize, Louis Vuitton has produced a special order travel case – handmade by a single master craftsman at the historic Asnières workshop near Paris. Covered in the designer’s iconic monogram canvas, the travel case is fitted with the company’s signature brass lock and corners, and has a dark brown lining that complements the Trophy’s rich gold. The case opens at the front and at the top to allow the Trophy to be removed easily when presented at the final on 11th July in Johannesburg, watched by millions of people across the globe.

Here’s what Naomi has to say about the project:

Thanks to the The TVC Group Ltd for the info.

South Africa’s Open Arms

Canonjon — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:38:38 +0000

Fear is a terrible thing, especially when it is so overwhelming that it cripples your experience of life and prevents you from broadening your view of the world.

Coming to South Africa I’d made a conscious effort to delay my perceptions until I’d breathed the air, tasted the food and drank the beer of a local Joburg hideout. Despite being warned that death, rape and at best – robbery, awaited me in the rainbow nation.

Sakhumzis Bar and Restaurant in Soweto, across the road from Mandela's old home - A spot

I’m glad to say, only two incidents of robbery have happened to people around me and none of them violent. I’m not deluded however, I’m well aware that South Africa has its horror stories, more frequent (according to the statistics) than most other places.But the statistics cannot account for the all the good a place has to offer, for example, I read today that SA has a murder rate of 18,000 per year – but with a population of 48,687,000+ that reads to me as 48,669,000 not murdered per annum and for all of those people left behind, a high percentage of them are worth care, attention and are definitely worth getting to know.

This short account of reality’s triumph over perception, written by Afrikaner Journalist Rian Malan [see below] tickled me and encapsulates the sentiment I’ve been feeling these past two weeks whilst living smack bang in the middle of Johannesburg.

In The Spectator, Malan writes:

At around 10 p.m, we hove to outside a nightspot [in Soweto] known somewhat inexplicably as The Oz Club. Inside, 200 dark-skinned punters were chortling to the jokes of a black stand-up comedian who greeted our arrival with howls of glee. ‘Look!’ he shouted. ‘White men!’ Two hundred heads swivelled in our direction. The joint fell dead silent. We felt like missionaries bound for the cooking pot, and verily, we were in for a roasting. ‘These whites all have penis-dimension anxiety,’ declared comedian Jordan Mazibuko, aka Jay Boogie. ‘They stand next to a black man at the urinal and their eyes cut sideways and you can see they’re thinking, “Christ, this just isn’t fair.” And you know what?’ he cried, pointing directly at me. ‘That’s exactly how we feel when we go into a bank!’ The joint erupted. When we laughed too, everyone slapped us on the back and offered us drinks.

I laughed out loud when I read this, you can picture the scene perfectly and it reminds me of the “free hugs” campaign- When you great a person with open arms, more often than not, you will find that people respond in-kind, sometimes surprising themselves.
The funny thing about humans is that we are wired up to mirror each others’ behaviour and to a certain degree, we have to consciously choose not to.

Against all odds, South Africa has opened its arms and is proving that it really can welcome the world on its doorstep. It breaks my heart to think that so few of you are here to bear witness.

Nixon Limited Edition World Cup Time Teller P

Manish — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:55:31 +0000

In celebration of the 2010 World Cup, Nixon has created limited edition Time Teller P’s – sold exclusively in Ron Robinson at Fred Segal.

The Nixon World Cup Time Teller P’s are available in five colours representing the countries of France, Italy, Brazil, South Africa and The United States of America. Each Time Teller P colour-way in the World Cup collection is limited to 20 of only 100, retails for $85 (approx £60) and feature a custom 3-hand Japanese quartz and custom moulded polyurethane band with patented locking looper and polycarbonate buckle.

The Nixon World Cup Time Teller P’s are on-sale and available now on ronrobinson.com and the retailers Melrose and Santa Monica locations.

Ron Robinson Locations
Melrose: 8100 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
Santa Monica: 500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA

Umbro x Alife – USA vs England match

Coach — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:53:29 +0000

On my trip to NY last week, we were invited to watch the England v USA world cup match at the Alife Rivington club. Although im not a huge football fan… when in the US, you find yourself with a certain pride in being from England. Walking in to the courtyard of the famous ARC store, the crowds were there in full force…

Umbro built an installation for this match and did a pretty good job. Free drinks… food… Always a bonus! 2 flat screen TVs and a floor made of astro turf to give the feel of being on a pitch… It was really good…

The only gripe I had was with the weather…. it was so humid that i had to change my tee 3 times… but I guess Umbro couldnt help that could they?

After the match… in which it ended in a win for Team USA (1 – 1)!! The chants of U…S….A… was driving me nuts! Speaking to someone there, he said ever since he found out that everyone from England hates that chant, he hasnt stopped doing it… Genius! That is something I would do… so im pretty annoyed he thought of it…!

South Africa’s Soccer City truly is a Masterpiece

Canonjon — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:36:41 +0000

For the past 20 years, Soccer City (formerly known as the ‘FNB Stadium’) has been at the heart of the beautiful game in South Africa. But after receiving a World Cup upgrade, this year’s host nation can boast at having one of the world’s most stunning, unique and awe-inspiring football venues and also one of the biggest – seating up to a whopping 94 700 people, making it the continent’s largest football stadium.

The new design was inspired by African instrument the Calabash and cost almost ZAR1.5 billion (almost £134 million). Soccer City has also been the stage for major non-football related historical moments. Nelson Mandela gave his first speech at the venue after he was freed from jail in the 1990s and the funeral of anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani – which was attended by over 150 000 people – was also held there.

After the World Cup, each goal scored at Soccer City will be placed in concrete panels on a podium at the stadium so that the full history of the tournament’s scores can be seen for generations to come. It’s rather fitting that the first score at the top of the podium will be that of South African star player Siphiwe Tshabalala, who opened the World Cup’s goal account in the host nation’s thrilling opening game against Mexico.

Here are a few pictures:

Premium ticket box room area with free drinks and catering

If you’re fortunate to make it South Africa, Soccer City is definitely a must-see destination.

Will the new World Cup Adidas ball be a nightmare for goal keepers?

Canonjon — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:28:13 +0000

The new official World Cup ball which has been described as a “nightmare for goal keepers” utilizes groundbreaking football technology. The first thing you noticed about the ball, known as the Jabulani (meaning “to celebrate in Zulu”) is its unique seam, breaking away from the traditional flat-paneling, Adidas have used eight thermally bonded 3D panels, molded into shape to make the first ever “perfect” round ball.

“According to the rigorous FIFA specification range for footballs, we have created a ball that is small and heavy allowing for maximum accuracy, perfect grip and exceptionally stable flight,” said Thomas Van Schaik, the Adidas Head of Global Public Relations.

However the flight of the ball has struck fear into the hearts of top international goal keepers, with many saying that the Jabulani will make goal keepers look “crazy” at this year’s World Cup. But after all the furor about the new ball, the opening games of the World Cup in South Africa failed to deliver the goals international goal keepers were fearing, with South Africa vs. Mexico ending 1-1 and France vs. Uruguay ending scoreless.

Adidas spokesperson Thomas van Schaik said heiss was surprised to hear the criticisms made by top goalkeepers such as Spain’s Iker Casillas, who compared the Jabulani to a beach ball, and Brazil’s Julio Cesar, because the balls have been used since their launch in December without any complaints.

But I suspect yesterday’s low scoring games won’t start a trend, with the energy and fanfare here in South Africa the world’s finest players will be keen to deliver goals fit for the hype.

Ayoba!

All eyes on South Africa as it swells with hope and excitement

Canonjon — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:29:36 +0000

Walking the streets of Johannesburg, the heart of South Africa, its impossible not to feel the electricity in the air, the city is literally a buzz with World Cup fever.

Street sellers are at every traffic stop covered in flags, Vuvuzelas (Notorious South African horns) and other soccer merchandise. Every car is adorned with the colours of supported nations and every street has homes and shop fronts flying the flags of every one of the 32 World Cup finalists.

Over the past couple of days more and more foreign supporters (especially Mexicans!) have poured into Jo’burg wearing their team colours with pride and without fear. For all the talk of doom and gloom for travelling fans, I’m happy to say that so far the South African people have welcomed visitors with warmth and good energy. I was travelling with a group of Chinese football fanatics yesterday and while we were walking through Soweto, people were stopping their cars to say: “Welcome to South Africa,” and “enjoy the World Cup!”

With only two days to go, the whole world stopped to blow their Vuvuzelas, honk their horns and blow their whistles to celebrate the first FIFA World Cup hosted by an African nation – If you could have heard the noise here in Jo’burg you would have tingled with excitement. The tribute dubbed the “Vuvuzela moment” trended on twitter today and was participated in by stars Shakira and Dutch international player Ryan Babel see their pics below:

With only two days to go, the weather here is gorgeous and the people are beaming, let’s hope the good energy stays and the World Cup delivers all that its promised and more.

Ke Nako!

Football Fables

Manish — Sun, 23 May 2010 10:45:04 +0000

Is everyone getting ready for World Cup yet? Baff Akoto, is an award-winning film director and he is about to premier his debut documentary, ‘Football Fables‘, about the Ghana Black Stars football team in the run up to this historic World Cup in S. Africa.

Click here to view the embedded video.

African football has a higher profile and more global stars than at any other time in history. But what does it takes to make the transition from a rural African field to a top European football club? If he’s good enough, how does a young African come to the attention of Real Madrid or Manchester United?

Football Fables, is a unique documentary – providing unprecedented insight into the inner workings of African football migration. This film unfolds through the eyes of Francis, a talented teenager on the brink of a dream transfer, His talent is undoubted, his desire immeasurable, but will that be enough to secure his future?

Francis’ journey sheds light on the relationships between talented young players, agents, managers and bureaucrats. A combination which (in spite of itself) manages to produce some of the best players in the world.