FREEDOM PARK TO HOLD A SYMPOSIUM ON YOUTH ACTIVISM TO COMPARE AND REFLECT ON DIFFERENT EPOCHS

By

GSMN Staff Reporter

GSMN Staff Reporter

Freedom Park, in collaboration with Keeloz Global Entertainment, will on Saturday June 21 hold a symposium to focus on the role of youth activism through different political eras, before and after the advent of democracy in 1994.

The main theme of the day for the engaging intergenerational dialogue will be titled: Youth Activism: Then and Now. The event – through which Freedom Park intends to pay homage to the role the youth had played in South Africa’s freedom of today, will start at 11h00 and end at 13h00. It will take place at the HQ of Freedom Park Sanctuary situated on a prominent hill near the Kgoshi Mampuru II prison, where many martyrs of the country’s liberation movements that include Solomon Mahlangu and Steve Biko met their brutal end.

The founder of the Black Consciousness Movement South African Liberation Hero, Bantu Stephen Biko (known as Steve Biko, who succumbed to injuries after brutalisation by Apartheid forces in 1977 at Kgoshi Mampuru II prison, near Freedom Park

Freedom Park serves as a space where South Africa’s unique heritage and cultures can be remembered, debated, cherished and celebrated.

This symposium is set to bring together members of the original Sarafina! Cast and a group of 50 dynamic young South Africans to explore the evolution of youth activism in the country. From the spirit of resistance during the 1976 Soweto Uprising to the modern-day movements such as #FeesMustFall, climate activism, and social media-driven campaigns—this dialogue will reflect on how youth continue to be powerful agents of change amidst our nascent democracy.

**Youth activism in South Africa, with a group holding a sign reading ‘June 16 Pass The Baton On’**

The event will also seek to draw lessons from Dr. Mbongeni Ngema’s iconic portrayal of youth struggle in Sarafina!, while challenging today’s generation to reclaim and amplify their voices for a better tomorrow in the land of their forebears.

Among planned activities will be an opportunity for interviews with the original Sarafina! Cast members, youth activists, and Freedom Park leadership.

**The original Sarafina! cast, pictured during their Broadway Cast Recording (1988) (Photo by: Brigitte Lacombe)**

Furthermore, there will be visual and social content moments in a historically significant venue that has become known to play a leading role in the recording, preservation and promotion of the nation’s history.

For anyone willing to participate in the event, they may contact Ms Tebogo Ramutloa, Freedom Park’s Communications officer at Tebogo@FreedomPark.co.za or call on 082 7933 130.