The story of climate change in Africa is often told through figures: rising temperatures, shrinking farmlands, or the billions needed for adaptation. On September 21-22, 2025, that story will be retold in a different way.

The Stories for Change Foundation, through its Climate Communication Africa Programme, in partnership with Africans Communicating Africa, is convening the first Africa Climate Communication Summit (virtual edition), where voices, performances, and storytelling will take centre stage in shaping Africa’s climate narrative and setting the tone for the continent’s engagement at COP30 in Brazil.

The summit will open with a creative spoken word performance, setting the mood for a gathering that blends science and storytelling. Instead of technical jargon, participants will hear words and rhythms that echo the daily struggles and resilience of communities living with droughts, floods, and unpredictable rains.

“This is Africa’s opportunity to shape the narrative on climate change in ways that resonate with our people, while recognising the importance of indigenous knowledge,” said convener Nii Commey, who will welcome delegates to the summit.

The programme has been designed to blend dialogue, case studies, and creative performances.

Sessions will examine how women, children, and non-scientific voices can become key storytellers of climate realities.

Other discussions will emphasise the role of media, schools, and grassroots actors in communicating climate action, while real-life stories from vulnerable regions such as the Sahel will illustrate the human toll of climate disruption and the urgent need for more inclusive storytelling.

The second day will focus on action, with keynote reflections and panel conversations examining whether climate change is being communicated effectively in Africa and how sustainability and green energy can be framed as part of the continent’s future. The summit will end with commitments to collaboration, ensuring its outcomes feed into Africa’s preparations for COP30.

Organisers say the Africa Climate Communication Summit will not only spark new narratives but also position Africa’s communicators, storytellers, journalists, and community voices to influence global debates in Brazil.

By showcasing authentic perspectives from across the continent, the summit aims to ensure Africa will derive nuggets for effective and relevant communication when they arrive at COP30 either as states or non-state actors, with a united communication strategy that underlines resilience, equity, and the urgency of climate justice.

For the Stories for Change Foundation, the summit is more than an event. It is a call to reclaim Africa’s climate story, to strengthen indigenous knowledge, and to put communities at the heart of the conversation. That story will be told in Africa’s own words: authentic, urgent, and impossible to ignore as the world prepares for COP30.

Stories for Change Foundation is using the power of storytelling to create positive change in Africa. At the heart of S4C Foundation work are credible narratives that highlight positive impact stories. Through Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC), we promote positive results on diverse themes of local, national, and global interest, with the grassroots as the
bottom line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Social media links
Linkedin: @climatecommunicationafrica/ stories4change
Facebook: @climatecommunicationafrica/ stories4changefoundation
Email: storiesforchangefoundation@gmail.com
Phone:+233205569675