Cape Town youth festival kicks off

By Odette Ismail
05 March 2007

The Cape Town youth festival, that kicked off today at the Iziko South African Museum Ampitheatre saw young people across the Western Cape enjoy, and perform in, dance and song activities.

Executive director of the Iziko SA Museum Patricia Davidson congratulated another successful programme. "I would like to see more people become attracted to museums", says Davidson.

Guest who included MEC for education in the Western Cape Cameron Dugmore, had a chance to listen to the beautiful voices of Simon Estes and the Mannenberg Steel Band, as well as an anti-drugs presentation of the Betel School in Delft.

Shortly after the keynote address, Dugmore joined in the upbeat dance and song of the Simon Estes School.

“All of us has a responsibility not only the youth, we must help grow art and culture as time goes on,” says Dugmore.

He then appealed to the youth to be more involved in music, life arts and arts and culture, in order to develop the economy and everyone else.

After the launch a mixture of hip-hop and kwaito performers entertained children from various schools.

Chief executive of the festival Yusuf Ganief says the youth festival’s common vision is to promote arts to youth instead of gangsterism, which is a major challenge the youth in the country is faced with today.

The festival, which started today, will take place at the museum until Friday, 9 March 2007.