13 August 2007

Marketers and communicators from across Africa will gather in Johannesburg this week to discuss the best ways to harness the 2010 Fifa World Cup to project a new image of Africa to the world.

The second annual National Communication Partnership Conference, hosted by the International Marketing Council of South Africa (IMC) and the 2010 National Communication Partnership task team, takes place in Sandton on Wednesday.

The IMC is responsible for branding South Africa across the world, while the task team includes representatives of the government, organised business and the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC).

This year's conference, themed "Africa's time has come", will bring together marketers and communicators from across Africa to discuss how to create a global mind change about the continent.

Ben Egbuna, president of the African Union of Broadcasters, will address delegates on the communication opportunity the World Cup offers the continent, while LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan will provide an update on South Africa's readiness to host the event.

Other speakers will include IMC chief executive Yvonne Johnstone and SA Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile.

There will also be outcomes-oriented working group discussions around the themes of tourism, advertising and marketing, and media and communications.

The conference will end with a Cape-to-Cairo themed networking dinner, which will showcase a tapestry of African food, culture and music.

This is the second year that the 2010 World Cup National Communication Partnership conference, endorsed by South Africa's Presidency, is being held.

2010 National Communication Partnership task team chairperson Nkenke Kekana describes it as "a unique event allowing stakeholders from across Africa to coordinate communication messages for 2010, to explore marketing opportunities and partnerships, as well as to study the key lessons from the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany."

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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