The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities will be joining the rest of the African continent and the world in celebrating World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on the 21st of May 2012.
The historical origin of this day was established by the United Nations in November.
2001 following the adoption of a Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and further the day provides us as the peoples of the world living in South Africa and the rest of the world to deepen our mutual understanding on the values of cultural diversity and learn to live together side by side with each other.
The commission would like to remind the South African cultural, religious and language communities and its traditional and political leaders that urban and rural development is inseparable from cultural practices and further that integrating the principles of cultural, religious and language diversity, the values of cultural pluralism into all public policies, mechanisms and practices, particularly through public participation would restore our diminished heritage that we dearly share and cherish.
The CRL Rights Commission is also concerned with the recent abuse and misuse of the social network dialogue, used for derogatory words and intolerance by the young women. The CRL Rights Commission would like to advise all the citizens of this country to tolerate one another and desist from insults and disrespect of other cultures and identities.
The CRL Rights Commission would further like to make a call upon the South African diverse communities that, in celebrating these eleven (11) years of the World Day for Cultural diversity for dialogue and development, our eighteen (H) years of freedom and democracy and the forty ninth (49) year anniversary of Africa day that we attempt to do the following:
- Invite people from a different cultures, religions and language communities to share your customs.
- Undertake a visit to place of worship or museum different than yours and participate in the celebration and
- Learn about traditional celebrations from other cultures such as Africa Day, World Indigenous People's Day.
For more information and media interviews contact:
Advocate Sipho Mantula
Communications and Marketing Officer
Cell: 011 537 7625
Tel: 084 781 5587
E-mail: sipho@crlcommission.org.za
