Members of the media are invited to the Eastern Cape leg of the activation event for the “Magnificent Fridays” campaign. The Magnificent Fridays campaign is an initiative of the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa intended to galvanise the entire nation to stand behind their sports heroes and help them achieve their best in the respective international tournaments scheduled for 2011. The tournaments are for cricket, netball and rugby. The tournaments for both cricket and rugby are world cups while that of netball is the world championships.
The Department of Sport and Recreation will together with provincial departments responsible for sport and recreation host events where “Magnificent Fridays” campaign will be rolled out. South African citizens are encouraged to wear their T-shirts/replica jerseys of the three national teams every Friday; to sing the national anthem and to fly high the national flag.
The campaign will be rolled out in four phases. First phase focuses on the media and communities’ launches of the campaign; second phase focuses on supporting the cricket team; third phase on supporting the netball team and the last phase is on supporting the rugby team before and during their tournaments. Activities of “Magnificent Fridays” will, amongst others include educating communities about the national symbols; singing of the national anthem; distributing the national flags and conducting identified sports clinics.
The Department of Arts and Culture supports this initiative and will fully participate to promote social cohesion and nation-building. We want to use this initiative to mobilise society towards greater levels of national pride and unity as experienced during the soccer World Cup in 2010. Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile, Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, Premier of the Eastern Cape, Noxolo Kiviet, MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture in the Province of the Eastern Cape, Xoliswa Tom and the Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Zanoxolo Wayile will be amongst the dignitaries.
As part of the launch, schools have been identified for donations of cricket, netball and rugby equipment. The Minister will also participate at a ceremony to install and raise national flags at selected schools in the area as part of creating awareness on national symbols. The schools where the flags will be installed are Sophakama High School; Newell High School and Cowan High School.
Activities:
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Presentations on Magnificent Fridays campaign, social cohesion, national orders and symbols
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Demonstrations in cricket, rugby and netball
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Performances by artists
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Attendance by national netball, rugby and cricket teams and legends
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Distribution of national flags, national symbols booklets and other materials
Date: 25 February 2011
Time: 06h00 to 09h00
Venue: Embizweni Square, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth
Enquiries:
Mack Lewele
Tel: 012 441 3083
Cell: 082 450 5076
Mmatlhame Raseleka
Tel: 012 304 5235
Cell: 083 959 3421
Malehlohonolo Mlabateki
Cell: 082 925 8660
