The festival attracted 15,000 people from close to 130 countries and was held under the slogan, "Let's Defeat Imperialism, for a World of Peace, Solidarity and Social Transformation!".

[4] Delegates were originally going to be housed at Nasrec in Johannesburg, and transported daily to the festival venue in Pretoria 80 km away, but given the shortage of funds the organisers eventually relented and housed the delegates at the Tshwane University in Pretoria, saving itself R100 million in the process.

The National Lottery gift caused an outcry in South Africa, and the festival was called a "bash" and an "expensive jamboree" by critics.

[5][6][7] The opening ceremony was held at the Moses Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, and delegates were addressed by among others the then-president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, whose speech focused on the value of education as a solution for the world's problems.

[12] On one of the days, the proceedings were interrupted by hundreds of COPE members arriving in buses who believed that part of the venue was reserved for a conference of their own.