South African Youth Day - a time to celebrate our youth.

16 June 1976 has gone down as a huge day in history, in South Africa and in the global community as well. On this day, across many township of this country, the youth made a huge sacrifice. They stood together as one and laid down their lives for the sake of freedom. They fought for equality and for everyone’s voice to be heard.

As today’s youth, we are also facing a lot of challenges. Our challenges may be different, but they are equally as big. Our youth is faced with drugs, unemployment, teenage pregnancy, the HIV pandemic and the illiteracy on a daily basis. As we work through these challenges, it is important to look back as how far we have come and to celebrate the youth of 1976 who played a vital role in getting us where we are today.

Today we are free to go where we please, to be friends with whom we choose, to attend the schools and universities that we prefer and to learn in a language that we are comfortable with. We have forums, parties and programmes that enable us to voice our opinions and make sure that we as the youth, are heard. We have access to the news, internet and social networking platforms that keep us updated and give us the platform to be publishers and express our thoughts and opinions too. As the future leaders of this country, we have the power to stand together and make an impact.

So today, you should make time to celebrate the youth. Look back on how far we have come and the potential we as the youth of today, possess. Use this day to contribute to youth development in your area. It does not have to be anything big; even a small start makes a huge difference. Help a young person with their homework, ask someone about their future plans and offer them some advice, or even donate some money to a youth programme close to your heart.

Let us know where you will be this Youth Day, and how will YOU be celebrating our youth?

Here is some South African youth and their thoughts on Youth Day:

Motlalkgotso Tosos:

“I associate this day with sacrifice, selflessness and pride.”

Rudzani Munonoka:

“The day is a celebration, honoring the youth who fought for their educational rights.”

Shaun Demmer:

“Thousands of youth marched because the government at the time made Afrikaans a compulsory learning medium in township schools.”

Stuart Buchanan:

“As much as I view this as a tragedy, it also reveals the incredibly resilient spirit of South African’s youth”