Cape Town, South Africa - Oct 24-25, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of kites flying towards sky
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ingrid Daniels, CEO, Cape Mental Health (partially overlaid with shots 3-4):
"So many people are battling with everyday life circumstances that we are exposed to. In South Africa, in particular, we see high crime rates, gender-based violence, poverty. These are all risk factors that impact on people's mental health. More than one billion people globally live with a mental health condition. In South Africa, it's one in four who live with a mental health condition. We're seeing an increase in prevalence, particularly amongst our young people. The Cape Town Kite Festival really provides this platform to encourage people to put up their hand and say, 'I need help.'"
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3. Various of festivalgoers flying kites
4. Various of kites flying towards sky
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5. Various of kites flying to sky
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Frans Marais, honorary kiter, 32nd Cape Town Kite Festival (ending with shot 7):
"Looking at something beautiful. I think [it] gives everybody hope. It's not just about the beauty. It's about the message it gives and the color of the sky. It's everybody. It's a rainbow of colors."
7. Various of kites flying to sky, banners
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Bernadine Chilwane, festivalgoer (ending with shot 9):
"Today, I am here to support the awareness around it and for people to be comfortable to talk about it, because many people, they suffer in silence. And that is where actually the problem lies."
9. Various of kites flying to sky
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Kyra Blackenberg, volunteer, Cape Mental Health (starting with shot 9/partially overlaid with shot 11):
"There are a lot of people in the world that hide their mental health and don't actually tell their families and get to tell their families about. There's always someone in your friend group or your family that you can actually tell what you're actually going through."
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11. Festivalgoers flying kites
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12. Various of kites flying towards sky

Thousands of people gathered in Cape Town for a weekend of colorful kites at the 32nd Cape Town International Kite Festival this October 24 and 25, as the giant shapes floating above the city carried a serious message about mental health and community support.

First organized by Cape Mental Health in 1994, the event is Africa's oldest kite festival. Organizers said it serves as a reminder that one in four people in South Africa lives with a mental health condition, with many struggling to access help.

For 32 years, kite flyers from across the globe have gathered in Cape Town to see this spectacular sight, but these shapes taking over the clouds carry more than just wind. They carry a vital message about human connection and mental health.

"So many people are battling with everyday life circumstances that we are exposed to. In South Africa, in particular, we see high crime rates, gender-based violence, poverty. These are all risk factors that impact on people's mental health. More than one billion people globally live with a mental health condition. In South Africa, it's one in four who live with a mental health condition. We're seeing an increase in prevalence, particularly amongst our young people. The Cape Town Kite Festival really provides this platform to encourage people to put up their hand and say, 'I need help,'" said Ingrid Daniels, CEO of Cape Mental Health.

The festival also raises funds for free mental health services across the Western Cape.

"Looking at something beautiful. I think [it] gives everybody hope. It's not just about the beauty. It's about the message it gives and the color of the sky. It's everybody. It's a rainbow of colors," said Frans Marais, an honorary kiter at the festival.

"Today, I am here to support the awareness around it and for people to be comfortable to talk about it, because many people, they suffer in silence. And that is where actually the problem lies," said Bernadine Chilwane, a festivalgoer.

Indeed, raising awareness is only the first step. Breaking the stigma around mental health means making it easier for people to speak up and ask for help.

"There are a lot of people in the world that hide their mental health and don't actually tell their families and get to tell their families about. There's always someone in your friend group or your family that you can actually tell what you're actually going through," said Kyra Blackenberg, a volunteer at Cape Mental Health.