Ekurhuleni: As South Africa prepares to host the 2025 G20 Summit, civil society is mobilizing to ensure that the voices of ordinary people are heard at the Civil 20 (C20) South Africa Summit taking place from 12 – 14 November 2025 in Ekurhuleni. The Civil 20 (C20) South Africa Summit is set to bring together leaders, activists, and advocates from across the globe for a key platform advancing social justice, equality, and sustainable development.
According to South African Government News Agency, the three-day C20 Summit will feature plenaries with keynote speakers, ministers, and global CSO leaders. It will also feature roundtable engagement to ensure robust debates and engagements, side events, and exhibitions showcasing innovations, campaigns, and community voices. The Government Communication and Information System emphasized that the gathering will amplify Africa’s voice within the G20 framework and reaffirm the power of civil society as a catalyst for change.
Under the theme: ‘Civil Society for a Just, Inclusive, and Sustainable Future’, the C20 Summit will unite 500 participants from across the African continent and beyond to shape collective policy priorities, advocate for accountability, and strengthen solidarity among global citizens. The summit will serve as a platform for consultation, advocacy, and consensus-building among civil society actors ahead of the G20 Social Summit taking place on 18 – 20 November 2025.
The objectives of the C20 summit are to consolidate African civil society priorities into the C20 South Africa agenda, engage diverse stakeholders in shaping recommendations, and strengthen solidarity between global and local civil society in addressing interconnected crises such as inequality, climate change, health, technology, and gender justice. The event will also publicly unveil the C20 Policy Pack presented to the G20 Presidency.
Entertainment reflecting South Africa’s diversity and heritage, as well as exhibitions by partners, will promote the work they do and facilitate engagement with the participants. The summit’s expected outcomes include a consolidated C20 South Africa Policy Pack aligned with G20 priorities, strengthened global solidarity, and South-South cooperation among CSOs. Additionally, it aims for practical commitments for advocacy beyond the 2025 G20 Summit and enhanced visibility of African civil society in shaping global discourse.