The Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa, in partnership with the National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC) will host the first ever Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministerial Roundtable on African Liberation Heritage from 27 - 29 March 2018 at St. George’s Hotel, Irene in Pretoria.

Taking place under the theme: “Roads to Independence: African Liberation Heritage - Towards An Integrated SADC Road Map to Africa we want” the occasion is expected to bring together Ministers of Arts and Culture, senior government officials and technical experts from the region to deliberate on the best strategy to effectively achieve the implementation of the African Liberation Heritage Programme (ALHP) as a collective.

As agreed in the bilateral meeting between Minister Nathi Mthethwa and the former Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports in the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr Nape Nnauye on 18 November 2016, the SADC Ministerial Roundtable discussion will seek to reinvigorate inclusive integrated planning on the implementation of the ALHP.

“It is envisaged that the conclusions of the discussions will enable the adoption of key resolutions to guide efforts in fast tracking implementation of the ALHP in the region. An acceleration of a coordinated approach to Liberation Heritage across all spheres of government and increased alignment with civil society and business is expected following this gathering,” said Minister Mthethwa.

Convened by the Tanzania, the main task of the ALHP is to identify, preserve, commemorate and document the common African liberation struggle history and memory to ensure that the current and future generation knows about our collective fight for the continent’s independence and development.

Adv. Sonwabile Mancotywa, CEO of the Nation Heritage Council said, “We should not allow our liberation heritage to decay due to unrecorded history as our country has faced a number of liberation struggle époques which were mainly characterized by Resistance Battles, Wars of Dispossession, Apartheid and the Modern Freedom Struggle.”

Liberation struggle was recognized as being of universal value and significance at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) 33rd general conference in October 2005. Before then, liberation struggle heritage was an unchartered territory in the heritage sector.

Issued by:    National Heritage Council (NHC) 

Contact: Danny Goulkan (Communications Manager), 012 348 1663/ 072 952 2260/ danny@nhc.org.za

For interview arrangements please contact Linda Shilakwe, 012 348 1663/ 082 657 7064/ danny@nhc.org.za