Official Email Verification and Acceptance Policy for Back to the City Festival 

IntroductionBack to the City Festival ("the Festival"), an annual cultural and music event, is committed to ensuring secure, transparent, and verifiable communication with its stakeholders, including attendees, partners, sponsors, vendors, and media. This Email Verification and Acceptance Policy ("the Policy") outlines the procedures and protocols for verifying the authenticity of emails sent by the Festival and the terms under which recipients acknowledge and accept invitations or communications by engaging with our official correspondence.
This Policy ensures compliance with best practices for email communication, protects against unauthorized use of our brand, and establishes clear guidelines for recipients regarding the verification of official communications from Back to the City Festival.
1. Purpose of the PolicyThe purpose of this Policy is to:

• Verify that all emails sent from Back to the City Festival originate from authorized personnel and official email domains.
• Provide recipients with clear instructions to authenticate Festival communications.
• Outline the terms of acceptance for invitations, agreements, or other engagements communicated via email.
• Protect recipients and the Festival from phishing, spoofing, or fraudulent email activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA), and international email communication standards.

2. Official Email Domain and Sender InformationAll official communications from Back to the City Festival will originate from the following verified email domain:

• [email protected]

Emails sent from this domain are managed by authorized personnel employed or contracted by Back to the City Festival. Any email claiming to represent the Festival but originating from a different domain (e.g., @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, or other non-official domains) should be considered suspicious and reported immediately to [email protected].
2.1 Authorized PersonnelOnly individuals explicitly authorized by Back to the City Festival may send official communications on behalf of the organization. Authorized personnel include:

• Festival organizers
• Marketing and communications team members
• Event coordinators
• Official partners or contractors explicitly designated to communicate on behalf of the Festival

All authorized personnel are subject to strict internal protocols to ensure the security and integrity of Festival communications.
3. Email Verification ProcessTo ensure that recipients can trust the authenticity of emails from Back to the City Festival, we implement the following email verification measures:
3.1 Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC)Back to the City Festival employs DMARC to protect our email domain from unauthorized use. DMARC verifies that emails sent from [email protected] are legitimate and align with our domain’s authentication protocols. Recipients can check the DMARC status of our emails to confirm their authenticity.
3.2 Sender Policy Framework (SPF)Our email domain is configured with SPF records, which specify the servers authorized to send emails on behalf of backtothecityfestival.co.za. This helps prevent email spoofing and ensures that only authorized servers can send emails from our domain.
3.3 DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)All outgoing emails from [email protected] are signed with DKIM, a cryptographic signature that verifies the email’s integrity and confirms it was sent from an authorized source. Recipients can validate the DKIM signature to ensure the email has not been tampered with.
3.4 Secure Email TransmissionEmails from Back to the City Festival are transmitted using secure protocols, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the communication.
3.5 Verification Instructions for RecipientsTo verify the authenticity of an email claiming to be from Back to the City Festival, recipients should:

1. Confirm the sender’s email address is [email protected].
2. Check for the presence of official Festival branding, including logos, signatures, and contact details.
3. Look for a verification link or contact information directing recipients to our official website (www.backtothecityfestival.co.za) or official email ([email protected]) for confirmation.
4. Contact the Festival directly at [email protected] if there is any doubt about the email’s legitimacy.

4. Acceptance of Invitations and CommunicationsBy engaging with official emails from Back to the City Festival, recipients acknowledge and agree to the following terms:
4.1 Acknowledgment of ReceiptOpening, reading, or responding to an email from [email protected] constitutes acknowledgment of receipt. Recipients are responsible for reviewing the contents of the email and taking appropriate action, such as responding to invitations, confirming participation, or contacting the Festival for clarification.
4.2 Acceptance of InvitationsCertain emails, such as invitations to attend the Back to the City Festival, participate as a vendor, sponsor, or performer, or engage in other Festival-related activities, may require explicit acceptance. Acceptance is deemed to occur when:

• The recipient responds affirmatively to the email (e.g., by replying with confirmation or clicking an acceptance link provided in the email).
• The recipient takes action consistent with the invitation, such as registering for the event, purchasing tickets, or submitting required documentation.

By accepting an invitation, the recipient agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of the Festival, including but not limited to event policies, codes of conduct, and payment terms (if applicable). These terms will be provided in the email or linked to the Festival’s official website.
4.3 Non-Binding Nature of InvitationsUnless explicitly stated otherwise, receiving an email from Back to the City Festival does not automatically bind the recipient to any legal or financial obligations. Invitations are offers to participate, and acceptance is voluntary unless a formal agreement is executed.
5. Recipient ResponsibilitiesRecipients of emails from Back to the City Festival are responsible for:

• Verifying the authenticity of the email using the methods outlined in Section 3.
• Reporting any suspicious emails claiming to represent the Festival to [email protected].
• Reviewing and responding to emails in a timely manner to ensure participation or engagement opportunities are not missed.
• Ensuring their email systems are configured to receive communications from [email protected] (e.g., by adding the domain to their safe sender list).

6. Protection Against Phishing and FraudBack to the City Festival is committed to protecting recipients from phishing, spoofing, or fraudulent emails. To safeguard against such risks:

• The Festival will never request sensitive personal information (e.g., passwords, bank account details, or ID numbers) via email unless explicitly agreed upon in a secure, verified process.
• All payment requests will include verifiable details, such as official invoices, and will direct recipients to secure payment portals linked to www.backtothecityfestival.co.za.
• Recipients should report any suspicious emails to [email protected] immediately.

7. Contact InformationFor all inquiries, verification requests, or reports of suspicious activity, please contact:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.backtothecityfestival.co.za

All official responses from Back to the City Festival will be sent from [email protected]. Recipients should ensure they use this email for all Festival-related communications.
8. Compliance with Laws and RegulationsBack to the City Festival complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing email communications, including:

• South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA): We protect recipient data and ensure that personal information is handled in accordance with POPIA requirements.
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA): We adhere to ECTA guidelines for electronic communications, including email authenticity and transparency.
• International Standards: Where applicable, we align with global email security standards, such as those set by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) for DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.

9. Updates to This PolicyBack to the City Festival reserves the right to update this Policy as needed to reflect changes in technology, regulations, or organizational practices. The most current version of the Policy will be available on our official website (www.backtothecityfestival.co.za). Recipients are encouraged to review the Policy periodically.
10. ConclusionBy engaging with emails from [email protected], recipients acknowledge the authenticity of our communications and agree to the terms outlined in this Policy. Back to the City Festival is committed to fostering transparent, secure, and professional communication with all stakeholders. We look forward to your participation in our events and activities.

​Last Updated: September 17, 2025
Back to the City Festival
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.backtothecityfestival.com