Events Calendar 2019
Event
Calender of: 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
This document contains
a list of major international and departmental events for the year 2016. Information on a specific event can be accessed by clicking on a link, where available.
Although all reasonable care is taken to maintain and update this information,
users should please check with the Department
on the date and venue of an event before taking any action in respect of that
event.
January
2019
- 1 Jan: New Year's Day
- 1 Jan-31 Dec: Nelson Mandela Centenary
- 1 Jan-31 Dec: Albertina Sisulu Centenary
- 6-10 Jan: Official Visit by Deputy Minister Mhaule to New Delhi, India
- 8-10 Jan: Raisina Dialogue, New Delhi, India
- 13 Jan: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu engages the media on recent international developments, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 13-14 Jan: Working Visit by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to Algiers, Democratic People’s Republic of Algeria
- 14 Jan: Working Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Maputo, Republic of Mozambique
- 14 Jan: Working Visit by Deputy President David Mabuza to Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- 17 Jan: Southern African Development Community (SADC) Double Troika Summit, Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- 22 Jan: International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Global Commission on the Future of Work, Geneva, Switzerland
- 22-25 Jan: World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland
- 26 Jan: President Cyril Ramaphosa attends India’s 70th Republic Day Celebrations, New Delhi, India
- 27 Jan: World Leprosy Day
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February
2019
- 2 Feb: World Wetlands Day
- 4 Feb: World Cancer Day
- 7 Feb: State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of Parliament by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Cape Town, South Africa
- 10-11 Feb: African Union (AU) Summit, Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- 19 Feb: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu hosts post SONA Breakfast with Members of the Diplomatic Corps and hold Monthly Briefing, Pretoria, South Africa
- 20 Feb: 2019 Budget Speech by Minister Tito Mboweni, Cape Town, South Africa
- 20 Feb: World Day of Social Justice
- 21 Feb: International Mother Language Day
- 21 Feb: International Tourist Guide Day
- 22 Feb: Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers to deliver Public Lecture on SA’s UN Security Council tenure, Cape Town, South Africa
- 25-27 Feb: Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers to attend the United Nations High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland
- 28 Feb: Eighth Session of the South Africa-France Forum for Political Dialogue (FPD), Pretoria, South Africa
Top
March 2019
- March: Human Rights Month (South Africa)
- March: TB Awareness Month (South Africa)
- 3 Mar: Working Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini
- 7-12 Mar: Third Session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC) between Zimbabwe and South Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe
- 8 Mar: International Women's Day
- 8 Mar: Ninth Deputy Ministerial Working Group Meeting (DMWG), Cape Town, South Africa
- 8 Mar: DIRCO marks International Women’s Day, Pretoria, South Africa
- 12 Mar: Commonwealth Day
- 10-16 Mar: World Glaucoma Week
- 15 Mar: Fourth Partnership Forum between South Africa and Vietnam, Pretoria, South Africa
- 15 Mar: South Africa – United States Working Group on Africa and Global Issues (WGAGI), Pretoria, South Africa
- 15 Mar: World Consumer Rights Day
- 15-16 Mar: Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers Meeting, Windhoek, Namibia
- 19 Mar: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu hosts the DIRCO Monthly Media Briefing, Cape Town, South Africa (Postponement of the Monthly Media Briefing)
- 20 Mar: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu delivers a Keynote Address to Western Cape students on: “the role of the student movement in strengthening international relations and solidarity”, Cape Town, South Africa
- 20-22 Mar: Second United Nations High-Level Conference on South-South Cooperation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 21
Mar: Human Rights Day (South Africa)
- 21 Mar: World Poetry Day
- 21 Mar: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 22-26 Mar: Media Accreditation for the SADC Solidarity Conference on Western Sahara, Pretoria, South Africa
- 22 Mar: World Water Day
- 25 Mar: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
- 25-26 Mar: SADC Solidarity Conference on Western Sahara, Pretoria, South Africa (Media Invite) (Media Arrangements)
- 26 Mar: Welcome Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Solidarity Conference with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic or Western Sahara, in Pretoria, South Africa
- 28 Mar: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu travels to Mozambique and Zimbabwe to hand over donations to victims of Cyclone Idai
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April 2019
- April: Freedom Month (South Afria)
- 1 Apr: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Minister Bheki Cele meet the Heads of the Diplomatic Missions, Pretoria, South Africa
- 2 Apr: Working Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- 3 Apr: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu addresses South African foreign relations priorities, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 4 Apr: Mid-Term Meeting of the BRICS Business Council, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 4 Apr: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
- 5 Apr: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Minister Bheki Cele have a follow-up meeting with the Heads of the Diplomatic Missions, Pretoria, South Africa
- 5 Apr: Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers delivers a public lecture on SA’s UN Security Council tenure, Durban, South Africa
- 12 Apr: Keynote Address by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu at the 2019 Dr Phyllis Naidoo Memorial Lecture, Durban, South Africa
- 17 Apr: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu briefs the media on the Ministerial Review Panel final report, Pretoria, South Africa
- 19 Apr: Good Friday
- 22 Apr: Family Day
- 22 Apr: African Union (AU) Troika Summit on the political and security situations of the Republic of Sudan and Libya, in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
- 22 Apr: International Mother Earth Day
- 23 Apr: World Book and Copyright Day
- 26 Apr: Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule hosts a Youth Outreach Programme, Hebron, South Africa
- 26 Apr: World Intellectual Property Day
- 27 Apr: Freedom
Day (South Africa)
- 28 Apr: World Veterinary Day
- 30 Apr: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu briefs the media on the current affairs, Pretoria, South Africa
Top
May 2019
- May: Africa Month
- May: Energy Month (South Africa)
- 1 May: Workers Day (South Africa)
- 3 May: Minister Lindiwe Sisulu meets with the South African Hellenic, Italian and Portuguese communities, Alberton, South Africa
- 3 May: World Press Freedom Day
- 8 May: 2019 National Elections (South Africa)
- 15 May: President Cyril Ramaphosa attends the Goldman Sachs Conference for Investors, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 15 May: President Cyril Ramaphosa receives Letters of Credence, Pretoria, South Africa
- 15 May: International Day of Families
- 16-18 May: Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) hosts workshop, Pretoria, South Africa
- 17 May: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
- 18 May: International Museum Day
- 21 May: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- 21-23 May: 109th Session of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers Session, Brussels, Belgium
- 22 May: International Day for Biological Diversity
- 24-25 May: Street closures in the vicinity of Soutpansberg, Loftus and Hatfield due to the Presidential Inauguration, Pretoria, South Africa
- 25 May: 2019 Presidential Inauguration, Pretoria, South Africa
- 25 May: Africa Day
- 29 May: Announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the new Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor; Deputy Minister Alvin Botes; and Deputy Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini, Pretoria, South Africa
- 30 May: Swearing in Ceremony by President Cyril Ramaphosa and presided over by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, Pretoria, South Africa
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June 2019 - June: Youth Month (South Africa)
- June: Environment Month (South Africa)
- 8 Jun: World Oceans Day
- 14 Jun: World Blood Donor Day
- 15 Jun: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
- 16 Jun: Youth Day (South Africa)
- 17 Jun: Public Holiday (South Africa)
- 17 Jun: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- 18 Jun: Minister Naledi Pandor delivers the Keynote Address at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the ID4Africa Movement, Boksburg, South Africa
- 19-20 Jun: Ninth Bi-annual Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) Meeting, Durban, South Africa
- 20 Jun: State of the Nation Address to a Joint Sitting of Parliament by President Cyril Ramaphosa, Cape Town, South Africa
- 20 Jun: World Refugee Day
- 22 Jun: Minister Naledi Pandor hosts a Breakfast Meeting with Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Cape Town, South Africa
- 23 Jun: Africa Public Service Day
- 24-25 Jun: Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Coordinators, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- 26 Jun: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
- 28-29 Jun: 2019 G20 Leaders' Summit, Osaka, Japan
Top July
2019
- July: Nelson Mandela Month
- July: Moral Regeneration Month (South Africa)
- 4 Jul: Working Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho
- 4-5 Jul: 35th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), Niamey, Niger
- 5 Jul: BRICS Deputy Ministers/Special Envoys Meeting on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA, Brasília, Brazil
- 7 Jul: 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Head of State and Government of the African Union (AU), Niamey, Niger
- 10 Jul: Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting, London, United Kingdom
- 11 Jul: Minister Naledi Pandor addresses the Pre-Budget Vote Media Briefing, Cape Town, South Africa
- 11 Jul: Budget Vote Speech by Minister Naledi Pandor, Cape Town, South Africa
- 11
Jul: World Population Day
- 15 Jul: Minister Naledi Pandor holds a Bilateral Meeting with her Korean counterpart, Ms Kang Kyung-wha, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 18 Jul: Nelson Mandela Day
- 19 Jul: 21st Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Lusaka, Republic of Zambia
- 20-21 Jul: Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Coordinating Bureau (CoB), Caracas, Venezuela
- 25-26 Jul: Workshop hosted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to review South Africa’s United Nations (UN) Security Council tenure, Pretoria, South Africa
- 26 Jul: Third Formal Meeting of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Ministers of Foreign Affairs / International Relations, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
- 28 Jul: World Hepatitis Day
- 30 Jul: Minister Naledi Pandor participates in Mandela Month activities at Jan Kotlolo Primary School, Pretoria, South Africa
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August
2019
- August: Women's Month (South Africa)
- 2 Aug: Multi-stakeholder Workshop to validate the Draft National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- 2 Aug: Sixth Session of the South Africa – Portugal Bilateral Consultations, Pretoria, South Africa (Media Invite)
- 2 Aug: Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlaminiparticipates in Nelson Mandela Day Celebrations, Manzini Primary School, Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa
- 6 Aug: Signing Ceremony of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, Maputo, Mozambique
- 6 Aug: Deputy Minister Alvin Botes participates in Mandela Month, Laingsburg, South Africa
- 7-8 Aug: Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini hands over humanitarian aid, Juba, South Sudan
- 8 Aug: Minister Naledi Pandor addresses the Graduation Ceremony for the Fifth Gertrude Shope Annual Dialogue Forum and Capacity-Building Programme, Pretoria, South Africa
- 9
Aug: Women's Day (South Africa)
- 9 Aug: International Day of the World's Indigenous People
- 11 Aug: Media Briefing by Minister Naledi Pandor on the upcoming SADC events and the State Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Tanzania, Pretoria, South Africa
- 12 Aug: Deputy Minister Alvin Botes addresses the International Youth Day Symposium, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa
- 12 Aug: International Youth Day
- 13-14 Aug: Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
- 14-15 Aug: State Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
- 17-18 Aug: 39th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
- 20 Aug: Bilateral Meeting between Deputy Minister Alvin Botes and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States, Mr Julián Ventura, Pretoria, South Africa
- 22 Aug: Media Briefing by Deputy Minister Alvin Botes on the South African citizen detained in Oman, Cape Town, South Africa
- 28-30 Aug: Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VII) Summit, in Yokohama, Japan
- 28-30 Aug: TICAD VII Summit, in Yokohama, Japan
- 31 Aug: African Traditional Medicine Day
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September
2019
- September: Heritage Month (South Africa)
- September: Tourism Month (South Africa)
- September: Public Service Month (South Africa)
- September: Heart Awareness Month (South Africa)
- September: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (South Africa)
- September: Oral Health Month (South Africa)
- September: National Month of Deaf People (South Africa)
- 4-6 Sep: World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
- 5 Sep: 15th Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) Meeting between South Africa and Cuba, Pretoria, South Africa
- 8 Sep: International Literacy Day
- 9 Sep: Meeting between Minister Naledi Pandor and the Heads of Mission, Pretoria, South Africa
- 9 Sep: Career Symposium hosted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Westbury Secondary School, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 9 Sep: World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day
- 10 Sep: World Suicide Prevention Day
- 15 Sep: International Day of Democracy
- 16 Sep: Minister Naledi Pandor briefs the media on South Africa's participation in the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Pretoria, South Africa
- 16 Sep: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
- 17-30 Sep: 74th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA 74), New York, USA
- 20 Sep: Minister Naledi Pandor to meets with members of the African Diaspora, Pretoria, South Africa
- 21 Sep: International Day of Peace
- 21 Sep: World Alzheimer's Day
- 21 Sep-18 Oct: Eye Care Awareness Month (South Africa)
- 24 Sep: Heritage Day (South Africa)
- 24-30 Sep: Minister Naledi Pandor leads delegation to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA 74), New York, USA
- 26 Sep: World Environmental Health Day
- 28 Sep: World Rabies Day
- 30 Sep: International Translations Day
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October
2019
- October: United Nations Security Council (UNSC), New York, United States of America (USA)
October: Marine Month (South Africa)
- October: Mental Awareness Month (South Africa)
- October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month (South Africa)
- October: Transport Month (South Africa)
- October: Social Development Month (South Africa)
- 1 Oct: 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, in Pretoria, South Africa
- 1 Oct: International Day of Older Persons
- 2 Oct: Ninth Ministerial Session of the Bi-National Commission between the Republic of South Africa and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Pretoria, South Africa
- 2-4 Oct: State Visit by President Muhammadu Buhari, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Pretoria, South Africa
- 7 Oct: World Habitat Day
- 10 Oct: World Sight Day
- 10 Oct: World Mental Health Day
- 11 Oct: International Day of the Girl Child
- 12 Oct: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
- 12 Oct: World Arthritis Day
- 13-14 Oct: Working Visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa to London, United Kingdom
- 15 Oct: International Day of Rural Women
- 15 Oct: Global Handwashing Day
- 15-16 Oct: Working Visit by Minister Naledi Pandor to Doha, State of Qatar and to Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
- 16 Oct: World Food Day
- 16 Oct: World Spine Day
- 17 Oct: World Trauma Day
- 17 Oct: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- 18 Oct: South Africa – China Bilateral Meeting, Durban, South Africa
- 20 Oct: World Osteoporosis Day
- 24 Oct: United Nations (UN) Day
- 23-24 Oct: Russia – Africa Summit, Sochi, Russian Federation
- 25-26 Oct: 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Baku, Azerbaijan
- 27 Oct: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
- 28 Oct: South Africa – Denmark Senior Officials Consultations, Pretoria, South Africa
- 28 Oct-3 Nov: World Stroke Awareness Week
- 31 Oct: World Cities Day
- 31 Oct-3 Nov: Seventh South Africa – China Bi-National Commission, Beijing and Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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November
2019
- 2 Nov: Rugby World Cup Final 2019
- 2 Nov: Universal Children's Day
- 3 Nov-3 Dec: Disability Rights Awareness Month (South Africa)
- 5 Nov: Inaugural South Africa – Ireland Joint Commission for Cooperation, Dublin, Ireland
- 5-7 Nov: Second South Africa Investment Conference, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 6 Nov: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
- 6 Nov: SADC Malaria Day
- 7 Nov: 19th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers Meeting, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 8 Nov: Keynote Address by Minister Naledi Pandor at the 15th Year Anniversary Gala Dinner of the Islamic Relief South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 11-22 Nov: Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a Protocol that will create an International Legal Framework for the Financing of Mining, Agricultural and Construction (MAC) Equipment, Pretoria, South Africa - Media Invite
- 13 Nov: Deputy President David Mabuza attends the regional consultation of the South Sudan Special Envoy Mission, Entebbe, Republic of Uganda
- 13-14 Nov: 11th BRICS Summit, Brasilia, Federative Republic of Brazil
- 14 Nov: World Diabetes Day
- 17 Nov: World Remembrance Day for Victims of Road Accidents
- 18 Nov: Minister Naledi Pandor hosts a symposium under the theme: “The best path to a prosperous Zimbabwe", University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, South Africa
- 18 Nov: Media Briefing by Minister Naledi Pandor on South Africa’s Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of October 2019, University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, South Africa
- 20 Nov: Africa Industrialisation Day
- 21 Nov: World Fisheries Day
- 22-23 Nov: G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Nagoya, Japan
- 25 Nov: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
- 25 Nov-10 Dec: 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children
- 27 Nov: Media Briefing by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to African journalists on South Africa’s approach to its role as Chair of the African Union (AU), Pretoria, South Africa
- 27 Nov: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
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December
2019
- 1 Dec: World AIDS Day
- 2 Dec: Minister Naledi Pandor delivers the eulogy at the Memorial Service of the Saharawi Ambassador to South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- 2 Dec: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
- 3 Dec: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- 4-6 Dec: Working Visits by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Conakry, Republic of Guinea; Accra, Republic of Ghana; and Lomé, Republic of Togo
- 5 Dec: International Volunteers Day
- 6-10 Dec: Ninth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Nairobi, Republic of Kenya
- 7 Dec: 110th Session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Council of Ministers, Nairobi, Republic of Kenya
- 7 Dec: International Civil Aviation Day
- 9 Dec: Third United Nations (UN) Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- 9 Dec: International Anti-Corruption Day
- 10 Dec: Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) – United Nations (UN) Seminar on: “South Africa in the Multilateral World” , Pretoria, South Africa
- 10 Dec: International Human Rights Day
- 13 Dec: South Africa – Italy Bilateral Consultations, Pretoria, South Africa
- 16 Dec: Day of Reconciliation (South Africa)
- 18 Dec: International Migrants Day
- 25 Dec: Christmas Day
- 26 Dec: Day
of Goodwill
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