Sport, Arts and Culture launched the digital integrated heritage week during Dubai Expo Exhibition , 11 Oct

The Dubai Expo South African Pavilion opened on October 1, 2021. Culture and identity is the focus of the entire month of October 2021. The month of December 2021 is dedicated to sporting events, and the EXPO will conclude on March 28, 2022, with a commemoration of a South African National Day.

Some of the Dubai Expo events will be shown in South Africa via a live connection to the Dubai Expo and vice versa (Being at two places at the same time). A week-long integrated heritage program is one such initiative that will be exhibited across the country.

The heritage week event is set to begin on October 11, 2021, at the Freedom Park Museum and Heritage site in Tshwane, and will be followed by a discussion discourse and a magnificent performance by South African legend Wouter Kellerman. The National and World Heritage Sites, Origins of Humankind, Liberation Heritage, included movies on Libraries, and the last day, 16 October 2021, will exhibit the week long major overview; they will be displayed at Dubai related to South Africa.

Freedom Park was chosen as the hosting venue primarily because it provides visitors with a unique and exceptional opportunity to experience and appreciate South African history, to walk where ancestors have walked, and to learn from the shared heritage as brothers and sisters of South Africa's diverse nation.

In the mind's eye, Freedom Park resurrects ancient warriors who roamed the planes of Southern Africa; it remembers the thousands of men and women who bore the yoke of slavery, as well as a people and a culture that were nearly obliterated by genocide. Above all, it demonstrates a country that is not afraid to make the greatest sacrifice in order to achieve the remarkable (Woza Nawe Uzozibonela, loosely translated as "Come and see for yourself"). It is the beating heart of all that is South African-history, spirituality, and heritage-the focal point for learning about this land of promise in all its variety.

One of the Park's goals is to become a significant visitor destination capable of attracting large numbers of people from the local, national, continental, and worldwide levels. The Park adds to Gauteng's critical mass of globally recognized attractions and helps to establish Tshwane as a cultural tourism destination.

Cultural heritage resources are significant because they contribute to the present economy and have the potential to benefit future generations. Furthermore, incorporating technologies into heritage programs raises the worth of heritage in terms of economic growth.

Cultural heritage has an economic development value in South Africa since it comprises structures such as art and craft goods, traditional cuisine and dwellings, monuments, traditional festivals, military museums, history museums, cultural and historical places and events, among others. Numerous legacy initiatives to honor notable liberation struggle figures through monuments, sculptures, museums, or naming of buildings and regions with names have been launched in recent years, and the Expo serves as a platform to showcase South Africa's cultural heritage to the rest of the world.

Participation in the Expo, whether in Dubai or South Africa, is a chance to demonstrate to the world and the local community the importance of promoting and conserving history. The values of respect for culture and heritage are emphasized within the country through various heritage programs, such as the African Liberation Heritage Programme, which will include a photographic exhibition of African Liberation Heritage in South Africa, among other activities in which other African countries will participate. Exhibition on the Matola Raid Monument and Interpretive Centre, which serves as a focal point for the whole SADC Liberation Heritage Route (Angola: Cuito Cuanavale/Viana Camp/Luanda). Lesotho's Maseru Raids, Botswana's Gaborone Raids, Swaziland's Manzini/Mbabane Raids, and Tanzania's Kongwa/Morogoro/Mazimbu/Dakawa Raids) are investigated. The VOC Collection is on display in the Archives Collection at the Memory of the World Register, National Symbols, and Libraries exhibition. The Dutch East India Company (VOC: Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) was the largest and most remarkable of the early modern European trade corporations active in Asia, formed in 1602 and dissolved in 1795.

Around 25 million pages of VOC documents have been saved in archives in Jakarta, Colombo, Chennai, Cape Town, and The Hague. The VOC archives contain material pertinent to the history of hundreds of Asia's and Africa's former local government and commercial areas, making them the most thorough and broad source on early modern global history available elsewhere. Tanap's website, www.tanap.net(link is external), has further information. 2003 was the year of submission, 2003 was the year of inscription, and 2003 was the year of publication. The Netherlands, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka are among the countries engaged.

An exhibition on the Rivonia Trial, with an emphasis on Criminal Court Case 253/63 (State against Mandela and others) (2007). The Rivonia Trial was the first time the state used its powers under the 1960 Acts that banned the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) to arrest and prosecute the top leadership structure of the largest internal anti-apartheid organization involved in the struggle for a democratic South Africa. This trial provided Nelson Mandela with the chance to address the people from the dock about the ANC's ideals and aspirations. The court battle resulted in leaders like Nelson Mandela being imprisoned on Robben Island and other prisons until their release in the 1990s.

Audiovisual content is a vital source of knowledge on South Africa's history during the previous century, depicting the important turning events in the battle for liberation from the apartheid regime. Due to the country's sophisticated infrastructure and a semblance of democratic procedure, the foreign media were able to hold up a mirror for the world to observe what was happening within South Africa during the Apartheid government. Some native filmmakers were also able to capture numerous subtleties of the country's developing history. However, it is important to note that many of the local residents, both black and white, never saw that film and are still uninformed of what transpired in the land of their forefathers' and their own birth. This DOXA collection is one of the most significant remnants of SA's political history in the country. The year of submission was 2007, the year of inscription was 2007, and South Africa was engaged.

The CODESA is also on display during the show. The inaugural plenary session of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) took place on December 20, 1991, at the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park, to negotiate a way out of apartheid and to build a seamless transitional path towards democracy. Negotiations to abolish apartheid began in 1990, with Nelson Mandela and several political prisoners released from Robben Island jail. These negotiations lasted until 1993, a year before the country's first democratic elections, in which all South Africans had the right to vote for the party of their choice to govern the nation. On April 27, 1994, the first democratic elections were held, and the ANC was victorious, with Mandela becoming the republic's first democratically elected president. De Klerk became his deputy in order to create a government of unity, together with the ANC's Thabo Mbeki, who followed Mandela and served two terms. This collection was recently digitized in order to provide SA and the rest of the world with access to it.

The Rebirth of Democracy is symbolized through national symbols such as the Coat of Arms, the new South African flag, the constitution, and the National Anthem, as well as new prospects. The exhibition also comments on South African Libraries and the Book Sector: one of the financing options targeted at altering urban and rural community library infrastructure, facilities, and services is the community library conditional grant (primarily targeting previously disadvantaged communities). The exhibition also discusses the inclusion of innovative elements in libraries, such as the founding of the South African Library for the Blind. A exhibit of South African classics is also on show, as is a short talk.

In addition, displays on South Africa's National and World Heritage Sites will be included at the Dubai Expo. An Exhibition of National and World Heritage offers Expo visitors and the community back home through social media platforms an experience ranging from historical and culturally significant locations such as Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years, to valuable natural locations such as the Vredefort Dome, the Cape Floral Region (which protects the country's small but vital fynbos), and,

In South Africa, ten Heritage Sites have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Five of the 10 sites are cultural, four are natural, and one - the Maloti-Drakensberg Park - is a combination of the two (cultural and natural).

The week-long Heritage integrated programme is a virtual journey for the South African community and a physical journey for Dubai expo visitors, providing an interactive exploration of South African history and heritage through some of the country's key national heritage sites, and demonstrating how each of these sites has contributed to the shared humanity and the shared past. The following are some major topics that will be highlighted during the experience:

• "the origins of life on Earth";\
• "our oldest ancestors";
• "the rise of modern humans and advanced intellect";
• "archaeological legacy";
• "South African colonialism"; and
• "apartheid and the battle for independence.

Some of the most important locations and artifacts are being showcased using emerging digital technology. 3D digital models, virtual reality tours, video, and 3D printed things will be included.

South Africa is also regarded as the Cradle of Humankind, where all civilisations began. The evidence for some of the early hominid species developing in South Africa is the explanation for this. It is thought that some of the earliest stone tools were made in South Africa as the species Homo evolved.

Heritage sites around the country give witness to the regulated use of fire. The Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa's Northern Cape provides the first clear evidence of fire usage 1 million years ago. These events in South Africa millions of years ago might have resulted in the advancement of technology, science, art, culture, religion, and so on.

The world would not exist as it does now if it were not for these early advances and the growth of the Homo genus, and we would never have considered space travel as a future goal.

The media is invited to cover the formal opening and discussion conversation. Wouter Kellerman, a South African icon, will perform during the event.

The launch and dialogue conversation is scheduled to take place as follows:

Venue: Freedom Park Heritage Site, Tshwane (Hybrid)
Date: 11 October 2021
Time: 12H00-14H00

The Department continues to adhere to COVID regulations, hence the emphasis for media houses to RSVP. A link will be provided upon confirmation of attendance.

To confirm attendance, please RSVP with Ms. Zikhanyile Sitali at Cell: 060 965 1462/ Email: [email protected](link sends e-mail)

The Dubai expo continues beyond this day and week with certain activities taking place in South Africa linked to the Dubai expo and vice versa. A detailed programme is herein attached.

Media Enquiries:
Ms. Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communications and Marketing
Cell: 072 172 8925
Email: [email protected](link sends e-mail)

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.