Festival of the World

The Southbank Centre's summer-long Festival of the World is inspired by the educationalist Baron Pierre de Coubertin (1863-1937), the founder of the Olympic movement, who believed that the arts, like sport, could raise the aspirations of young people. Highlights include 'Africa Utopia', a series of performances, talks, debates and films, 'Poetry Parnassus' (Jun 26-Jul 1) which features poets from each of the 204 competing Olympic nations, 'New Music 20x12 Weekend' (Jul 13-15) with contemporary classical, jazz and folk by Mark-Anthony Turnage, Julian Joseph, Sheema Mukherjee and others, 'U Dance' workshops and performances (Jul 13-16) and 'Unlimited' (Sep 1-9) art and culture commissions by disabled and deaf artists. Over the summer there will also be installations around the site, as well as the re-opening of the Queen Elizabeth Hall roof garden and an urban beach.