Historic Book Launch at Freedom Park
Join Freedom Park and its stakeholders, on the 21 July 2015 at the historic book that narrates the journey from conceptualisation to completion. This auspicious event will be honoured by the Department of Arts and Culture Minister, Mr Nathi Mthethwa.
The book reflects how Freedom Park was conceptualized and constructed as a whole, from a range of perspectives pertinent to its history and functions. It shows how Freedom Park emerged in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations for symbolic recognition and reparation of past conflicts in South Africa, with a mandate to honour the heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for freedom and humanity and to foster reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building, in line with the principles of freedom and inclusive democracy.
By giving an account of the genesis of the establishment of Freedom Park as a Presidential legacy project that was approved by cabinet post 1994, to create and foster a new national consciousness of the common legacy that binds the people of South Africa, the book presents the Park as a place of contemplation of the immediate and distant past, the present and the future of South Africa. By illuminating the different elements of the Park, it reveals a concern that the whole is more than the sum of parts.
As a unique contribution, nationally and internationally, the book shows how Freedom Park integrates heritage, history, culture and spirituality, anchored within the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) perspective. This is seen as a contribution towards the restoration of South Africa’s African-shaped heritages and identities and as a means to complement and to illuminate all the aspects that make up Freedom Park as a whole. The book thus presents a textual and visual map for the journey to take in this garden within the vast garden of South Africa, that celebrates an African view of the world and its historical, cultural and spiritual manifestations.
The narrative of Freedom Park is historically informed and imaginatively conceived to unfold in seven epochs from past to present up to the frontiers of the future, illuminated in the functions and meanings of its various elements and their relationship to the whole.
The compilation of this publication took almost five years to complete – from 2010 until it was published in 2014 and was as a result of contribution by many well-known authors and editors. These authors and editors assisted in conceptualizing the publication, identification of contributors, editing and evaluation of all content to ensure a coherent and quality publication. Thus, they identified an array of scholars, researches, planners and advisors who were deemed knowledgeable about the history of the Park and who contributed to the conceptualization of the Park as one of the post-1994 Presidential legacy projects.
The need was motivated by the recognition that not many people are aware about the existence of the Park and the meaning behind its establishment. As an entity of the Department of Arts and Culture, the publication is also to invite the public to support the mandate of Freedom Park in its efforts to foster reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building in the country.
The publication also includes historical speeches made with reference to Freedom Park by the previous democratically elected presidents and the current President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma.
Details of the event:
Date: 21 July 2015
Time: 18h00
Venue: Freedom Park, Pretoria
Enquiries:
Naomi Madima
Freedom Park
Tel: 012 334 4006
Cell: 060 9613851
E-mail: Naomimadima@freedompark.co.za
