SA citizens called to re-imagine one's heritage institutions for a new era

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Acting President, Paul Mashatile, has called on South Africans to reimagine the country’s history and heritage institutions for a new era, in order to add value to human development and serve generations to come.

Mashatile delivered the keynote address at the 2025 Heritage Day celebrations in Oudtshoorn, on Wednesday.

This year’s theme is “Re-imagine Our Heritage Institutions for a New Era.”

COURTESY: X - @GovernmentZA


According to the Presidency, Wednesday’s focus is on the importance of leveraging heritage as a foundation for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative and economically inclusive future.

‘’It is a call for fresh perspectives on how we can preserve and showcase our history in the ever-evolving landscape of our society. This theme is even more important considering that South Africa has been hosting various G20 initiatives since the beginning of the year and will officially host the G20 Summit in November 2025. The theme of South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 is Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability and, among other things, anchors as a promoter of inclusive economic growth while fostering innovation, creativity, equity and social cohesion and ensuring that a diversity of cultural expressions flourishes in a globalised world.’’

‘’I should state that it does not matter what your tribe or cultural background is; we all have the responsibility to preserve and showcase our heritage locally and to a global audience. This is important because our heritage institutions nurture cultural identity, encourage unity, and offer economic opportunities in sectors such as tourism and the arts. They serve as a bridge between the past and the present, allowing us to connect with our roots and understand where we come from. It is in the understanding of our roots that we can lay a solid foundation for our future as a society.’’

Mashatile says museums, monuments and other heritage sites must become spaces of cultural diplomacy, inclusivity, intergenerational conversation, laboratories of creativity and incubators of opportunities for people, particularly the youth.

‘’ We must position our heritage institutions to contribute to the government’s efforts to deal with pressing challenges of unemployment, social fragmentation, crime and corruption. This can be achieved by empowering communities to challenge dominant narratives, providing secure spaces for dialogue and critical thinking, and preserving and reinterpreting marginalised histories.

‘’The heritage institutions may create a sense of collective memory, inspire resilience, and find new ways to solve current social challenges by adopting participatory approaches and focusing on people's resilience and lived experiences. More importantly, we must work together as families, communities, non-governmental organisations, businesses and government to fight the scourge of drugs and substance abuse, especially among the youth,’’ added Mashatile.

 

Done by: Mitchum George

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