Thursday, 17 September 2026
15:00–20:00
Hotel EAST & Arts Village, Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg

PROGRAMME

Afro Futuristic Convention 2026 — The Global Power Shift, Trust in Motion.

FOYER GATHERING
Arrive. Connect. Begin.

Guests arrive, meet fellow participants and begin conversations before the Convention opens.

15:00–15:30

A CURATED JOURNEY

The Afro Futuristic Convention is designed as a journey. Each session builds on the previous one, moving from reflection to responsibility, from dialogue to action, and from ideas to lived experience.

SESSION I - TRUST IN MOTION
Opening Performance, Welcome & Fireside Conversation

Opening Performance

Welcome

Fireside Conversation

Trust is becoming one of the most valuable resources in a changing world. The opening conversation explores how culture, leadership and human connection create the conditions for meaningful collaboration across sectors and continents.

15:30–16:05

16:15–16:55

SESSION II - WHO GETS SEEN?
Visibility, Access, Legitimacy & Power

Facilitated by
Lucy Larbi

Visibility is not equally distributed. It shapes recognition, access to opportunities and whose expertise is trusted. This session explores how more inclusive systems of visibility and legitimacy can strengthen leadership and unlock new perspectives.

17:05–17:45

SESSION III — WHO DECIDES?
Building Institutions Worthy of Trust

Facilitated by
Lucy Larbi

Trust is sustained by the institutions we build. This conversation explores what makes institutions credible, inclusive and responsive—and how leadership can create systems that earn public trust.

17:50–18:05

THE SHIFT - What Will We Build?
Building Institutions Worthy of Trust

Facilitated by
Lucy Larbi

The Convention moves from discussion to commitment. Speakers and participants are invited to identify the partnerships, ideas and actions they will take forward beyond the event.

18:05–18:30

FROM STAGE TO SYSTEM
Introducing YUNOMI

YUNOMI is a Cultural Water Prototype developed in collaboration with FUTURE FEMALE AFRICA, Viva con Agua, Grünbeck Stiftung and Anno's One Fine Day.

The session introduces the thinking behind YUNOMI and explores how essential infrastructure can also create connection, cultural exchange and community participation.

Followed by: Streams of Hope – Short Film

18:30–18:45

TRANSITION

Guided Walk to YUNOMI

Participants walk together from Hotel EAST to the Arts Village, where the Convention continues with the public YUNOMI experience.

18:45–20:00

YUNOMI

A Prototype for Collective Futures

Arts Village, Heiligengeistfeld

The Convention concludes with the public launch of YUNOMI. Through music, movement, visual art and shared participation, guests experience how a water container can become a catalyst for dialogue, creativity and community.

PROGRAMME

  • TECH x ACCESS TO FINANCE

    How Innovation is Redefining Menstrual Care

    11:40 – 12:10 PM (PANEL)

    Technology is redefining menstrual health from smart wearables and digital tracking apps to automated pad dispensers and fintech solutions for menstruators in underserved communities. This panel highlights how innovation is breaking down barriers, advancing global equity, and opening new perspectives on menstrual products. Our SHEROS and speakers will explore how tech is reshaping care and why the intersection of technology and financial access is key to empowerment and sustainable change.

  • ARTISTS x MUSIC × STAGE

    How Artists Are Tackling Shame and Stigma Through Lyrics and Stage

    12:40 – 13:10 PM (PANEL)

    Music has the power to break taboos. This panel explores how artists are using lyrics, performances and artistic projects to confront shame and stigma around menstruation. From music videos and songs to creative stage formats, art becomes a tool for raising awareness and sparking cultural dialogue. Sheebah, Poundo and Femi One share their journeys of merging music with advocacy, showing how festivals and creative spaces can become platforms for empowerment and cultural change

  • FASHION FOR DIGNITY x AWARENESS

    How Fashion and Menstrual Hygiene Health Can Be Innovative, Sustainable, and Transformative

    13:20 – 13:50 PM (PANEL)

    Fashion becomes a statement for dignity and awareness. This panel explores how period underwear, menstrual apparel and fashion activism are opening new perspectives on menstrual health.

    Innovative, sustainable and transformative, fashion emerges not only as a form of expression but also as a tool for education and cultural change.

  • BODIES IN MOTION

    How Bodies in Motion Highlight MHH’s Impact on Life, Empowerment, and Sports Performance

    14:15–14:25 PM (DANCE PERFORMANCE)

    Dance becomes a language of the body in this captivating performance. Drawing on contemporary techniques and rich emotional expression, the choreography explores empowerment, body awareness, and freedom. Each movement creates moments that are not only seen but deeply felt, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the transformative power of dance.

    This performance embodies the spirit of Bodies in Motion, connecting artistic expression with human experience and using movement as a medium for cultural dialogue, storytelling, and shared emotional resonance.on goes here

  • THE ART OF STORYTELLING: MHH IN MOTION

    How Art, Sport, and Storytelling Ignite Action for Menstrual Equity and WASH Access

    14:25-15:00 PM (PANEL)

    This dynamic session combines sports, art, and storytelling to explore how creative expression can transform conversations around Menstrual Health & Hygiene (MHH) and broader Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) issues.

    A moderated panel discussion brings together athletes, artists, and changemakers to share how they use their platforms to break taboos, challenge stigma, and inspire new perspectives, demonstrating how creativity, culture, and lived experiences can activate awareness, policy dialogue, and collective action for menstrual equity and access to WASH.

  • AFRICAN MUSIC (R)EVOLUTION

    How African Music Shapes Culture, Empowers Voices, and Drives Global Change

    15:15–15:45 PM

    African music shapes culture, society, and global soundscapes. This panel explores the current state of African music, the role of Black artists, and the lasting impact of groundbreaking genres, illustrated with music samples tracing its evolution. Looking ahead, it examines emerging trends, evolving industry structures, and the future of key voices. The discussion highlights how African music drives empowerment, inspires social dialogue, and transforms cultural expression.

  • FUTURE FREQUENCIES: EQUITY, PERIOD

    How Menstrual Freedom Drives Justice, Dignity, and Collective Action

    16:00–16:45 PM (PANEL)

    What does true freedom mean when it comes to menstruation?

    This closing panel brings together policymakers, funders, and investors to collectively envision a future without taboos, barriers, or inequalities. At its core is the vision of menstrual freedom as a matter of justice, dignity, and full participation in society.

    From cultural narratives to political frameworks, the discussion transforms ideas into actionable pathways for equity and impact.

  • FUTURE FEMALE AFRICA – THE TIME IS NOW (FFA ANTHEM)

    How Music and Performance Activate Change for MHH and Gender Equity

    16:45 – 16:55 PM (SHOWCASE)

    The FFA Anthem, curated by Onejiru Arfmann, Founder of Future Female Africa (FFA) and the Afro Futuristic Convention (AFC), unites powerful voices including Sheebah Karungi, Femi One, Die P., Onejiru, Mayonde, Anna Bassy, Poundo, Nicole Hadfield, and mari.ama to celebrate female creativity, resilience, and collective action.

    The anthem is a centerpiece of the FFA “Push the Red Button – Activate Change” campaign, launching in 2025 to enhance equity for women in Menstrual Hygiene Health (MHH).

    Anchored within this year’s Afro Futuristic Convention x Reeperbahn Festival, it transforms music, performance, and culture into a call for empowerment and tangible social impact.