OR Tambo centenary
THE Department of Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Department of Justice and Correctional Services, will host 2017 Human Rights Day celebrations on March 21 at the Victoria Grounds in King William’s Town, Eastern Cape.
This year’s Human Rights Month will be celebrated under the theme “The year of OR Tambo: unity in action in advancing human rights”.
The year 2017 marks the centenary celebrations of Oliver Reginald Tambo, an anti-apartheid activist and an internationally renowned liberation struggle icon.
The OR Tambo Centenary is important as a fitting tribute to mark Tambo’s selfless and fervent efforts towards bloodless transition and the advancement of human rights.
The liberation narrative in South African history will not be complete without also mentioning the 40th anniversary of Steven Bantu Biko, the leader and founder of the Black Conscious Movement, who contributed immensely in the fight for human rights for all and whose human rights were grossly violated until his death in police detention in 1977.
The democratic government declared March 21 as Human Rights Day to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for liberation and to celebrate the achievement of democracy in South Africa.
The basis of Human Rights Day is the Sharpeville massacre, which took place on March 21, 1960, where the apartheid police shot and killed 69 unarmed people in a peaceful protest march.
On the 25th anniversary of this day, in 1985, more people were shot and killed by police in Langa township, in Uitenhage and other parts of the country.
During this month, the Department of Arts and Culture will host a series of Human Rights Dialogues within the context of human rights, to remind all South African to celebrate 20 years of our progressive constitution.
Furthermore, the aim is to sensitise society about Human Rights Day as part of a historical occurrence which was attained through selfless fight from many of the liberation Struggle stalwarts, including Tambo and Biko.
Human Rights Dialogues will take place as follows:
March 17 at 10am – Human Rights Social Cohesion Colloquium on "The role of OR Tambo in the fight for human rights for all" at Hambanathi/ UThongathi, eThekwini Municipality, Panellists: Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, Vusumuzi Zondi and Bhekokuhle Ndlovana.
March 20 at 6pm – Human rights social cohesion colloquium on "The role of OR Tambo and Steve Biko in the fight for human rights for all" at the Steve Biko Centre in King William's Town. Panellists: Dr Frene Ginwala, Professor Somadoda Fikeni and Professor Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga.