Preparatory seminars on the status of cultural, religious, and linguistic rights in South Africa in planning for the national consultative conference in February 2013

The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (hereinafter CRL Rights Commission) is a constitutional human rights institution established by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

Nineteen years (19) into constitutional democracy the CRL Rights Commission seeks to conduct nation-wide hearings to ensure on the status and progress done on the implementation of cultural, religious and linguistic communities’ rights by public and private institutions. This will ultimately culminate in the hosting of the Legislative National Consultative Conference (NCC) in February 2013.

The main objective of these seminars is to gather information and develop a detailed report for the nation and the Parliament of South Africa. The CRL Rights Commission is hosting these provincial consultative hearings/ seminars under the theme "Tolerance, peace, respect and humanity as the cornerstone of the new South African society".

The CRL Rights Commission is mandated to promote respect for and further the protection of the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities; promote and develop peace, friendship, humanity, tolerance, national unity among and within cultural, religious and linguistic communities on the basis of equality, non-discrimination and free association and to promote the right of communities to develop their historically diminished heritage.

According to Chief Executive Officer, Advocate Pheagane Solomon Moreroa "the provincial preparatory consultative hearings/ seminar are a concept that was first adopted by the Commission in its first term in 2004. This concept was coined as a mechanism to bridge the gap of consultations with local and rural communities towards the National Consultative Conference (NCC) 2013"

Some of the objectives of these provincial seminars include:

• Establishment of a platform where South African Cultural, Religious and Language Communities are called to review progress that South Africa has made since 1994 on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Culture, Religion and Language.
• Identification and deliberation on issues hindering social cohesion and nation building in South Africa.
• Submission of both written and verbal inputs on the status of cultural, religious and linguistic rights in South Africa.
• Discussion on topics programmes and projects that will presented during at the National Consultative Conference (NCC) in 2013 and
• Mobilising community-based structures and other relevant stakeholders to participate in forums, advocacy programmes and other initiatives in preparation for the NCC in February 2013.

The schedule of CRL Rights Commission Provincial Preparatory Consultative Seminars is as follows:

For media interviews contact:
Advocate Sipho Mantula (Communications and Marketing Officer)
Tel: 011 537 7628
Cell: 084 781 5587 or 083 233 1538
E-mail: sipho@crlcommission.org.za