RISE Africa report 2025

Africa’s urban future demands that we move beyond conventional approaches. As our cities grapple with the interconnected challenges of climate impacts, resource constraints and rapid growth, we cannot
afford inaction. Instead, we must embrace hope as an active force for transformation. RISE Africa’s fifth Urban Action Festival, Realising Unbound Possibilities, represents a pivotal moment in our collective journey. Over five years, we have built a movement that refuses to separate dreaming from doing, creativity from policy, or research from practice. This year’s theme challenged us to break down silos and forge unlikely collaborations across disciplines, sectors and perspectives.