In collaboration with UNESCO, Consciousness Café hosted their first on-air dialogue on CliffCentral.com, on Monday 13 February to mark World Radio Day.
The topic that was discussed live was: “Why is it so difficult to talk about the fear and anger that still divides us?”
Consciousness Café is a dialogue collective co-founded by Keke Motseke, Anisha Panchia and Claire Bell. The trio use a form of transformational dialogue developed by NNI Ignite, and in 2015 and 2016 hosted dialogues in community centres, universities, museums and galleries across South Africa, with groups of up to 50 people.
Previous dialogue topics include:
“How do I be authentic with white/black people?”
“Why do you assume because I look like you, I have the same prejudice as you?” “What would real reconciliation look like and what would it take?”
The theme of World Radio Day 2017 is “YOU”. While social media can divide us into bubbles of like-minded people, radio is uniquely positioned to bring communities together and promote positive dialogue for change.
Founder and President of CliffCentral.com, Gareth Cliff says: “We’re delighted to be hosting this important dialogue on World Radio Day, especially with CliffCentral.com being the first ‘social media’ radio station in Africa, creating and curating content that is authentic and relevant. The Consciousness Café team has hosted several shows on our platform towards constructive engagement of sometimes sensitive challenges that face our society.”
Consciousness Café has also earned the respect of Professor Saths Cooper, president of the Pan-African Psychology Union, who frequently collaborated with the late Steve Biko on the philosophy of Black Consciousness.
“Consciousness Cafe is an important initiative, started by young women who are concerned by the increasing polarisation in our society. It is safe space for South Africans to explore the issues they confront but are often too afraid to raise through fear of being drowned out in a climate of intolerance. Consciousness Cafe provides innovative ways for all of us to reconnect with our inner selves through positive engagement with the other, breaking the barriers that keep us apart,” says Cooper.
