While the launch of Youth Month this year took place virtually due to lockdown restrictions, South African youth will still get to participate in a range of activities throughout June.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, along with the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, on Monday launched Youth Month under the theme, ‘Youth Power: Growing South Africa together in the Period of COVID-19’.
The theme is a rallying call for youth to play their part in curbing the spread of Coronavirus.
“As we try and transition to a better world, you, as young people, will be the leaders of that world, and therefore, this is probably the most important month of June that will be commemorated in our democratic history,” said National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) CEO, Waseem Carrim, at the virtual launch.
Over the month of June, the following activities will take place:
• The Department of Social Development is leading Child Protection Week from 31 May – 7 June under the theme, ‘Let us all protect children during COVID-19 and beyond’.
• The NYDA is currently running a Youth Month competition from 25 May to 30 June. The weekly prizes to be won include data, routers and tablets, etc.
• On Monday 1 June, the NYDA also launched the Trailblazers Campaign, calling for young people, who have achieved in their line of work against all odds. This year, the campaign will also focus on young people at the forefront of COVID-19. The campaign runs until 8 June 2020.
• The NYDA is leading the Biz Alive Campaign, which calls for young entrepreneurs to submit information about their businesses to be marketed on the platforms of the agency. The campaign kicked-off on 2 June.
• The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is leading the Youth in Creative Industries webinar series to showcase and profile young people within design, performing arts and visual arts. The creative webinar series runs from 2 - 30 June 2020.
• On 3 June 2020, the NYDA will profile beneficiaries of the ‘1000 Businesses in a 100 days’ project.
• On 14 June, the NYDA will also host the National Youth Service Day to showcase programmes and works that have been undertaken by 13 National Youth Service Programmes of several departments.
• The NYDA will on Monday, 15 June host a nationwide webinar on the Youth Micro Enterprise Relief Fund to outline the progress and to showcase the beneficiaries of the fund.
• The South African State Theatre will stage a drama called, “The Fall” from 15 June – 5 July 2020. This frank collaborative work is based on #RhodesMustFall, #FeesMustFall and subsequent student movements’ demonstrations in 2015 and 2016. “The Fall” will add its voice to the national and worldwide debate and youth-led revolutions against injustices, inequality in education, cultural representation and many other contemporary conflicts.
• The Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Government will host the provincial youth day on 15 June 2020 as a buildup event to the National Youth Day. This will be a virtual commemoration followed by the cultural programme.
• The virtual Commemoration for the National Youth Day on 16 June 2020 @10h00 will take the form of a dialogue with young people, led by the President of the Republic of South Africa, HE Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.
• The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will host an online art exhibition showcasing the suffering and traumatic experiences of the youth during the South African War. The exhibition takes place from 17 June – 30 June 2020.
• The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities will host a webinar on menstrual health management to look at how young women are affected by the pandemic. Supply lines for sanitary products distributed via schools was disrupted as a result of the lockdown. This webinar will look into how government is responding to this, as well as other challenges facing young women when it comes to managing their menstrual cycle with dignity. (Date: TBC)
The entire country is encouraged to participate in Youth Month by recognising the present and future role of the youth in shaping the social and economic landscape of the country. – SAnews.gov.za
