Arts and Culture Deputy Minister, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, will launch the 2016 South African Library Week on Friday, 11 March 2016 at Sibusisiwe Hall in Sundumbili, KwaZulu-Natal.
The National Librarian and CEO of the National Library of South Africa, Professor Rocky Ralebipi-Simela and the President of Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), Ms Segametsi Molawa, will join the Deputy Minister during the launch. The South African Library Week (SALW) will be celebrated from 11 - 21 March 2016 under the theme, “#libraries4lifelonglearning,”
The 2016 theme provides insight into the role of libraries in South Africa and demonstrates how this fit into the objective of ensuring equitable access to quality information and to social advancement opportunities thus realising the vision of an informed nation. It also frames the substantial contribution of libraries to the efforts that strive to address our country’s educational, social, cultural and recreational needs and prevalent inequalities.
“Lifelong learning is a purposeful learning activity undertaken on an ongoing basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competencies that includes developing the ability to search for information and actively, and independently create knowledge”, stated Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi.
Our country remains characterised by divisions two decades after liberation. Lifelong learning provides opportunities to dissolve boundaries that may be in place among traditional sectors: education, the labour market and industry; or, other facets of society whether these are regional/geographic, socio-cultural or political. It embraces various forms of education and training: formal, non-formal and informal; the traditional school system from primary to tertiary level; adult education, informal training and so on.
“Libraries share in the responsibility for evolving further a knowledgeable, technological adept and prosperous society by harnessing its resources and redirecting these towards client and community services while providing physical and virtual spaces for lifelong learning”, added Mabudafhasi.
Prior to the launch, the Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi will also hoist the Flag at Sundumbili Primary School as part of the National Identity Campaign, a partnership with SABC Education under the slogan, “Afurika Tshipembe lashu”, meaning Our South Africa. This campaign is an extension of the Department of Arts and Culture’s Flag in every School project that aims at educating learners and citizens about nation building and social cohesion. The programme includes promoting the singing of the National Anthem; reciting of the Preamble of the Constitution and installation of the National Flag in schools. The campaign’s objective is to mobilise all South Africans, schools, different racial groups, civil organisation, interfaith and business to strengthen relations amongst fellow South Africans towards a common identity.
South African Library Week falls within the Human Rights Month in South Africa and throughout this month of March, the Deputy Minister will hand over Libraries and Modular Libraries across the country.
The launch will be held as follows:
Flag Hoisting
Date: Friday, 11 March 2016
Time: 07h30
Venue: Sundumbili Primary School, in Mandeni
The launch
Date: Friday 11 March 2016
Time: 10h00
Venue: Sibusisiwe Hall 1 Thokoza Road, Sundumbili, Mandeni, Kwazulu-Natal near to the Sundumbili Library
For RSVP: Muponisi Nkuna: (012) 401 9711 or 083 471 0061 or muponisi.nkuna@nlsa.ac.za or Madimetja Moleba, MadimetjaM@dac.gov.za; cell: 072 842 6594/012 441 3737
Media Enquiries:
Deputy Minister’s Spokesperson
Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
E-mail: petermb@dac.gov.za
Nikki Crowster
Cell: 082 822 2120
Tel: 021 763 7103
E-mail: nikki@chec.ac.za
