South Africa celebrates Youth Day every year on 16 June to honour the students who peacefully protested on this day in 1976, but were met with violence by the police. This represented a turning point in the history of South Africa.
“On June 16 1976, thousands of students, mobilised by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s Action Committee, with the support of the Black Consciousness Movement, took to the streets to protest the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools.”
Rogz Academy and Boost Africa YearBeyond (Yebo) youth teams collaborated to present a very special Youth Day celebration at Boost Africa Foundation in Dunoon, Cape Town.
Rogz Academy Celebrates Youth Day
Rogz Academy and Boost Africa YearBeyond (Yebo) youth teams celebrated this historic day by acknowledging the sacrifices made in 1976 and also showed their appreciation to their elders.
The YeBoneers were responsible for raising funds for the event and managed the set up, catering and the décor. On the day, the YeBoneers were divided into groups and each group designed a poster to present on what this special day means to them. The attendees were also treated to a welcome dance by the Gold Youth Team.
There was an interesting inter-generational panel where the YeBoneers asked the elders questions in English and isiXhosa. Everyone listened with fascination. What a wonderful way to link the generations – wisdom with age combined with the energy of youth.
After the presentation, the elders were invited to dance and sing to local music and were treated to a delicious lunch. Rogz Academy and Boost Africa Foundation YeBoneers created a memorable morning of togetherness, appreciation for past and present, and a renewed hope for the future!
What Youth Day Means to YeBoneer Anelle
“This day reminds me of how imperative self sacrifice is when it comes to the fight for justice and liberation. It reminds me that I am not here because of my own individual merit. I am here because of the young people who wrestled with the status quo and put themselves on the line.
The generation of 1976 knew what the cost was for freedom. They knew that in order for a better tomorrow to be birthed, it would cost them something great – it would cost them their lives. Their power was in their sacrifice.
As we remember them today, may the same spirit be born and birthed in us. The spirit of resilience, of hope and of selflessness.
I am so proud to be a part of the brilliant, loud and vocal empathetic youth of this nation. What a time to be alive! There is so much ahead of us and so much that we have yet to conquer – but may we remember that we do not go alone. We go with those who counted the cost, challenges the system and fought with sacrificial love to break barriers and bring about a change.
As they did, so shall we!!”
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