On the 19th of November 2019, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and the A4 Arts Foundation co-hosted the 19th annual Reconciliation Award ceremony under the theme – The Art of Reconciliation. The ceremony recognised, showcased and celebrated arts and people who pursue justice and reconciliation through imagination and creativity at a community and local level. The Institute, and the A4 Foundation, created a space that celebrated art and artists in the visual arts, music, and spoken word. The space was interactive with many opportunities to engage and reflect on our histories, identities, and the agency to initiate change.
The Reconciliation Award 2019 recipients were the Lalela Project and Neliswa Dludla, Founder and Director of Early Birds Homeschool for their work in using arts to pursue social cohesion and community building.
About the awardees
Early Birds Lifestyle Academy
Early Birds Lifestyle Academy (EBLA) is a learning support program that uses an integrated approach to a holistic education to support the learning gaps in the education crisis in South Africa. EBLA’s approach uses the arts as a tool, for reinforcing critical thinking in learners. Visual arts is used to foster mindfulness and for early development at grade R level and progressively through primary school grades at the aftercare space.
Lalela Life Changing Art
Lalela provides educational arts for at-risk youth to spark creative thinking and awaken the entrepreneurial spirit. Their curriculum develops imagination and creativity that leads to innovation and solution-thinking. By activating whole-brain and creative thinking, Lalela aims to encourage children to dream about a different future and provide them with the tools to map and manifest their dreams and goals, launching this possibility for themselves and their communities.
