Free entry at Freedom Park this Heritage Day

Sunday, September 24, 2017

In line with this year’s theme “The Year of OR Tambo, Celebrating our Liberation Heritage” entrance to Freedom Park is free of charge this Heritage Day.

Situated in Tshwane, Freedom Park is a post –apartheid national and international iconic monument for humanity and freedom.

“Its core objectives are aimed at contributing to nation building, reconciliation, social cohesion and unity. It is also tasked to establish mechanisms to promote, protect and preserve indigenous knowledge systems,” spokesperson Naomi Madima said.

Known as the people’s shrine, the monument is dedicated to those who sacrificed their lives for humanity and freedom.

The park has inscribed names of heroes and heroines across eight conflicts that shaped South Africa.

In addition to this, it has a gallery of leaders, is an element within Freedom Park, in which iconic leaders who fought for liberation, freedom and humanity are celebrated.

These leaders include the likes of Oliver Tambo, a national icon and hero of the liberation struggle who shaped the country’s vision, mission and value system, Kwame Nkrumah, Samora Machel, Julius Nyerere, Helen Joseph and many more.

South Africa marked heritage day on Sunday – a day that embraces the vast cultural diversity and history that distinctly marks the country's rich identity.

The day also aims to recognise the role of cultural and heritage institutions and enabling access to all as they serve as reservoirs of knowledge and wisdom to bridge the intergenerational gap in the transmission of indigenous knowledge, skills and techniques.

The theme of this year's Heritage Day "The Year of OR Tambo: Celebrating our Liberation Heritage" is in accordance with preserving the history and imparting it to the younger generations. 

All cultural groups are celebrated across South Africa on Heritage Day to enhance nation building, social cohesion, national reconciliation, moral regeneration, economic and social development. 

The South African Constitution also guarantees the right to cultural, religious and linguistic associations and other organs of civil society.

Government has encouraged South Africans to take pride in the country's cultural institutions and play an active role in affirming, promoting and preserving them.-SAnews.gov.za