1 to 30 September
The 1st of September marked the beginning of Heritage Month with Heritage Day celebrated on 24 September 2024 to honour our nation’s diverse culture and rich heritage. The month will be convened under the theme: “Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom”.
The theme pays tribute to the many struggle stalwarts who gave up their lives for our freedom. Over the month, we remember in particular those freedom fighters who were forced into exile by the apartheid state and died in foreign nations. These brave men and women are an integral part of our heritage.
During the first week of September, government will launch the Exile Repatriation Project, as part of the National Policy for the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains and Heritage Objects.
Through the month various activities such as family rituals, host country handovers, exhumations and repatriation will be undertaken in the lead up to Heritage Day. As part of our Heritage Day celebrations, the Department of Sports Arts and Culture will also host a cultural heritage symposium on liberation history and memorialisation, as well as indigenous games.
The campaign tag line for this year’s Heritage Month is: Our History, Our Story, Our Heritage!
