Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Buti Manamela will on Friday 9 June attend ” The combined celebration of the 23 years of Freedom and celebration of Youth Month. Hosted by the South African High Commission in Malawi, the commemorative event will be held at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The year 2017 marks 100 years since the birth of South Africa’s foremost diplomat, Pan Africanist and Liberator, President Oliver Reginald Tambo who once famously said: “the children of any nation are its future. A country, a movement, a person that does not value its youth and children does not deserve its future.”

The overall yearlong centenary celebrations of O.R. Tambo, is under the theme “In the Footsteps of O.R. Tambo: Passion, Patriotism, Integrity, and Humility”. Before diplomatic relations were established with Malawi, it is significant that O.R. Tambo passed through Malawi in March 1960 on his way into exile in Tanzania.

The Roundtable Discussion will be held under the theme “Deepening Democracy and Harnessing the Youth Demographic Dividend in South Africa, Malawi and the Continent for the Africa We Want”. The theme is derived from the 2017 theme of the African Union.

This commemorative day will therefore be celebrated in the form of a roundtable and dialogue to provide the youth a voice. The dialogue will focus on the contribution by young people in obtaining freedom and democracy and their equally critical role in the building of the Africa they want.

The leaders of Africa have recognised that the population of Africa is youthful and how do they ensure that they harness this to the advantage the Continent into a demographic dividend.
Deputy Minister Manamela will therefore address students, leaders of youth movements and other sectors of society on the theme. Members of the Diplomatic Corps, South African and Malawian business people, youth in NGO’s and international agencies will also be in attendance. 

“From these discussions we anticipate that the contribution of young people in changing the status quo will be recognised and also formulating continental programmes by young people so they are part of shaping the Africa we want” said Deputy Minister Buti Manamela.

The contribution of young people in the arts will also be recognised and celebrated through the participation of South African Band, Mafikizolo. In addition to the Roundtable Discussion, the Deputy Minister will be the Guest of Honour at the South African High Commission’s celebration of Freedom Day held on 9 June 2017.

Deputy Minister is expected to return from Lilongwe on Saturday and attend the closing of the HEIDAS National youth conference in Durban on 11 June.

 

Issued by the Presidency