Five panellists on stage at the Miatta Civic Centre, one speaking into a microphone
A woman in the audience asks a question into a microphone
A young man in a suit asks a question into a microphone
A packed audience listening in the Miatta Civic Centre
A speaker addresses the audience from a podium
Crowd singing along at the 2025 Salone Civic Festival concert
The 3rd Salone Civic Festival, Freetown

Year ofAction

Three days where citizens and government meet face to face, and every conversation ends in a commitment.

Registration opens soonSee the programme
Doors open in· Wed 9 Dec
dayshoursminutesseconds

  • MDA showcase
  • Presidential unveiling
  • Civic town halls
  • Arts and culture exhibitions
  • Live creative performances
About the festival

Where citizens and government meet in the open

Led by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the festival brings ministries, councils, partners, civil society, young people and the creative sector together for three days in Freetown. In its third year it moves from dialogue to delivery.

Discover the festival
Citizens and officials seated together in the Miatta Civic Centre
01

Direct access

Put your questions to ministers and officials face to face, in town halls open to everyone.

Read more
Agriculture stand at the development showcase
02

Progress you can see

Ministries, councils and partners show what has been built and explain how it works.

Read more
School pupils in the audience at a civic session
03

Youth-led ideas

Policy labs, the national school quiz and innovation showcases put young people at the centre.

Read more
A journalist records a session on a phone camera
04

Commitments that last

Every commitment is recorded in public and followed up after the festival.

Read more
What's on

Five ways to take part

Every session belongs to one of five activities, each with its own colour, so you can find your way around the programme and the venue.

Explore what's on
01

MDA showcase

Ministries, departments and agencies show what they have built and answer questions at their stands.

Find out more
02

Presidential unveiling

His Excellency the President unveils new national initiatives and policies to the public.

Find out more
03

Civic town halls

Ministers and officials answer your questions face to face, on the issues that matter most.

Find out more
04

Arts and culture exhibitions

Film, theatre, spoken word and heritage exhibitions.

Find out more
05

Live creative performances

Creative nights and the Unity Concert, with a diaspora headliner and local acts.

Find out more
Speakers

High Level Speakers

Ministers, heads of MDAs and leading voices from civil society, the media and the private sector who took part in the 2025 festival town halls.

See more speakers
H.E. Julius Maada Bio

H.E. Julius Maada Bio

President of the Republic of Sierra Leone

Hon. Chernor Bah

Hon. Chernor Bah

Minister of Information and Civic Education

Dr. Kandeh Yumkella

Chairman, Presidential Initiative on Climate

Hon. Henry Musa Kpaka

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security

Hon. Salima Bah

Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation

Hon. Austin Demby

Minister of Health

Hon. Sheku Fantamadi Bangura

Minister of Finance

Hon. Conrad Sackey

Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education

Hon. Alpha Sesay

Attorney General and Minister of Justice

Josephine Kamara

Director General, SLBC

Valnora Edwin

Chairperson, African Women Leaders Network

Tejan Z Kellah

President, National Youth Council

A full audience in the Miatta Civic Centre
The 2026 theme

Year of Action

A national call for collective responsibility and measurable progress: from conversation to commitment, from participation to impact.

  • Government that responds and is seen to respond
  • Citizens taking part in how they are governed
  • Solutions led by young people
  • Creative expression as a tool for civic education
Programme at a glance How registration works
Three days, three steps

Programme at a glance

Listen first, then work together, then commit in public. Add sessions to your pass as you go; seats are limited for the town halls and the presidential unveiling.

  1. MDA showcase

    Official opening and development showcase launch

    Main auditorium

    Open entry
  2. Presidential unveiling

    Presidential unveiling of new initiatives and policies

    Main auditorium

    212 of 400 left
  3. Civic town hall

    Civic town hall: Feed Salone and food security

    Main auditorium

    96 of 400 left
0sessions on your passRegistration opens soon

From conversationto commitment.

The 2026 theme asks government and citizens for measurable progress, with every commitment recorded and followed up after the festival.

Take part

Get involved

The festival is built with MDAs, councils, civil society, the creative sector, media and partners.

Exhibit as an MDA

Book a stand in the development showcase and meet citizens directly.

Apply for a stand

Become a vendor

Food, crafts and merchandise spaces across the festival grounds.

Vendor application

Partner with us

Partnership packages for development partners and the private sector.

Partnership enquiry
Registration

Register once. Get your festival pass.

  1. Tell us who you areName and phone number. Email is optional.
  2. Pick your sessionsSee the seats left. We warn you if two sessions clash.
  3. Get your passA personal pass with your QR code. Show it at the door, share it on WhatsApp.
Registration opens soon

See youin Freetown.

9–11 December 2026 at the Miatta Civic Centre, Youyi Building.

Registration opens soon