Constitution Hill’s Human Rights Festival is one of Gauteng’s significant public events from 26 to 29 March 2026.

Celebrating its 8th year, the festival invites the public to commemorate South Africa’s Human Rights Month and honour the memory of the liberation heroes who took a stand for human rights in the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 (21 March – National Human Rights Day).

The 2026 theme is Remembering the Past. Engaging the Present. Shaping a Just Future. The festival aims to create greater awareness and knowledge around human rights and to promote the importance of an active citizenry.

The first three days of the event are FREE to all, and gates open at 10h00 on 26, 27 and 28 March.

These three days offer a range of workshops, public dialogues, debates, and access to Activism Row, where the public can interact with national and global NGOs, seek assistance, and pledge support towards their causes.

The third edition of 1000 Drums for Solidarity, which was launched in 2024 in support of the struggle in Palestine and South Africa’s strong show of solidarity, invites the public to come together to make a strong statement of unity and support. Free to join and hosted on 28 March, this event is not to be missed.

This year, Constitution Hill has joined forces to support Friends of Blanco – Day Chillers Festival. This edition of the event, hosted on 28 March, is geared towards raising funds to support tertiary students with their student fees. This is a creative and innovative way to use our culture’s love of music and creativity to make a positive impact and reinforce the constitutional right to learn. In line with the public programmes curated by Constitution Hill to develop the creative economy and support youth, we encourage the public to contribute to this cause and be entertained by some of Mzansi’s brightest talent, with the legendary Kelvin Momo headlining the festival. The event starts at 12h30 and ends at 01h00. Tickets: R150 at Howler.

There is something for everyone to look forward to:

• Theatre, poetry, and live performances
• The Book Fair – showcasing local authors and book readings
• The Human Rights Film Festival, curated by Monday Pictures, provides a series of film screenings and related discussions promoting local production and creativity
• The Kids’ Festival is a creative space where children will learn about their rights and responsibilities through visual art creation sessions, performing arts sessions (theatre, drama, poetry), and children’s storytelling

A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE – THE NELSON MANDELA LEGACY ROUTE

The festival takes place at Constitution Hill, formerly a prison site where many of South Africa’s great liberation leaders were incarcerated. Today, Constitution Hill has been transformed into a beacon for democracy and social justice. It is a living museum that delivers multiple education, creative development, human rights, and constitutional public programmes throughout the year. The site is also home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court, the guardian of our Constitution, a resident artist community, a world-class recording studio, and the Truth to Power Lounge conference venue. Constitution Hill is not only a museum, but a living, breathing site for social justice, dialogue, debate, and contestation.