Archive for the 'Fun' Category

Sony Music Entertainment has begun work on the official music album to be released in conjunction with the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM).

The album will be a charity driven project, with all of Sony Music’s net profits being donated to Africa-related charities and all of FIFA’s net profits being donated to the Official Campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) “20 Centres for 2010″ which will create 20 Football for Hope Centres for education, public health and football in disadvantaged communities across Africa.

In addition to the official album, Sony Music will be releasing three official songs, including the official song of the official event mascot Zakumi.

Discussions are already underway with a range of superstar artists about their participation in this World Cup album.

The album will feature creative collaborations between local African and international artists, with an expected release in the weeks preceding the event, which begins in June 2010.

Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corp., an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa(TM).

For more information on FIFA and its competitions, especially the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM), please visit the official website at www.FIFA.com.

Source: Sony Music Entertainment

The Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Beninoise singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo and one of South Africa’s greatest music exports Johnny Clegg will provide a star-studded line-up for the Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ in Cape Town on 4 December (19.00 local time/18.00 CET).

The 90-minute live show at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) promises a whole host of stunning African-inspired visual and acoustic treats with international appeal. These will include guest appearances by some of the biggest names in sport as they descend on South Africa for the eagerly anticipated Final Draw to decide whom and where the 32 qualified teams will be playing.

With the Final Draw being broadcast to no fewer than 200 countries around the world, this will mark another unprecedented milestone in the history of the FIFA World Cup. The Final Draw in Germany, December 2005 attracted a cumulative television audience of 134.5 million and was shown live in 137 countries. “We are very proud to be a part of the Final Draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. It is an incredible opportunity,” said Beverly Bryer, founder and manager of the choir. The choir will perform alongside Johnny Clegg, a well-known campaigner against the injustice of apartheid in South Africa who has been instrumental in putting the new South Africa on the map.

“The FIFA World Cup Final Draw has developed into a major live show that is followed with great excitement by millions of people across the world. It will reignite the 2010 FIFA World Cup fever not just in the host country but also in the qualified countries, where excitement is mounting as we draw nearer to next year’s FIFA flagship event,” said FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, who will conduct the draw.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has once again been appointed by FIFA for the production of the Final Draw show, while HBS (Host Broadcasting Services) will deliver broadcast signals worldwide in its capacity as overall Host Broadcaster. After producing two successful world-class draw shows at the Preliminary Draw in November 2007 in Durban and the draw for the FIFA Confederations Cup in November 2008 in Johannesburg, the SABC has again commissioned the expertise of Combined Artists to enhance the show.

“This Final Draw has all the ingredients to capture the imagination of the watching world. We look forward to finally welcoming the 32 qualifying countries to Africa to share in the rhythm and energy of our continent, and are certain that this event will provide the perfect prelude to Africa’s first FIFA World Cup,” said Danny Jordaan, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Organising Committee.

Africa Adventure Consultants Launches New World Cup Africa Travel Programs

World Cup 2010 soccer news is heating up. With England, Spain and Paraguay all recently qualifying for the games this coming May, the thousands of North American soccer fans with tickets in hand are starting to get serious about travel planning to South Africa. Africa Adventure Consultants today announced two new World Cup Africa travel packages to South Africa, developed especially for the World Cup 2010.

“We’re thrilled that the African continent will be hosting the World Cup in 2010,” says Kent Redding, the company’s president. “World Cup soccer travelers will be among the massive numbers of people who will be descending on South Africa’s cities for the games, so we’re really working hard with our partners on the ground in South Africa to get our clients the best experience for the best value in June and July 2010. Of course no trip to Africa is complete without a big game safari experience and we’re excited to launch these fantastic programs created especially for these soccer fans.”

On Africa Adventure Consultant’s World Cup Guided Safari, travelers visit a game reserve in Zululand plus two private reserves near Kruger National Park. Understanding that most North American travelers have limited vacation time, and to optimize time on the ground, travelers will have private road transfers and easy internal flights between camps. Priced at $5,499 for a 10-day safari, this World Cup Africa travel program provides an outstanding opportunity to experience both the wildlife and culture of South Africa, along with soccer of course. See the full itinerary here: http://www.adventuresinafrica.com/adventures.trips.aspx?trip_id=167

For more adventurous travelers, Africa Adventure Consultants has launched the World Cup Self Drive Safari. Priced at the great value of $2,999 per person, before or after World Cup matches travelers can enjoy three unique regions of Southern Africa including Zululand, Swaziland and the Manyaletti Game Reserve near Kruger. Designed for those interested in both wildlife and culture, this tour utilizes self-drive rental cars, plus guided safari experiences. See the full itinerary here: http://www.adventuresinafrica.com/adventures.trips.aspx?trip_id=166

In addition to World Cup Africa travel, Denver-based African safari expert Africa Adventure Consultants organizes safari adventures throughout East and Southern Africa, with destinations including Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, Victoria Falls and Ethiopia. The company sells destinations they know personally and offer guests assurance of strong on-the-ground partnerships with only the best local companies. Africa Adventure Consultants supports a variety of African conservation organizations, community-based tourism programs and humanitarian causes. And now, the company runs a completely carbon-neutral office in Denver and is further committed to carbon-neutral safaris by automatically offsetting 50% of each African trip they sell as well as offering clients the opportunity to offset the remaining 50%. With an eye on personal service, the principals create carbon-neutral safaris and customized trips for individuals and small groups. To learn more, please call 1.866.778.1089 or visit http://www.adventuresinafrica.com/index.aspx.

Source: Africa Adventure Consultants

Look out for the first world cup in Africa … going to be fun