Heritage Day, on 24 September, was declared a public holiday in recognition and celebration of our cultural wealth and diversity as a nation. This is reflected, amongst others, in our glorious history, our World Heritage Sites, historical artefacts and in the human treasures still living amongst us.
It’s a day for us to pause and take time to remind ourselves about what unites us. It’s an opportunity to reflect on our common journey as a people, and how we, together, can do more to build that South Africa of which our Constitution speaks so eloquently and for which we yearn.
Let us, united in our diversity, build that prosperous South Africa in which the quality of life of all is improved and the potential of each person is freed. We owe it to ourselves, to those who sacrificed so much to bring about our democracy and to the generations who will follow us.
Let’s look at some quotes that keep motivating us to do better and celebrate our differences and uniqueness:
A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. – Marcus Garvey
Maintaining one’s culture, values and traditions is beyond price. – Getano Lui
A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational and economic legacies – all of the things that quite literally make us who we are. – Steve Berry
Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation. – Nelson Mandela
People tend to believe that to be modern you have to disengage from your heritage, but it’s not true. – Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
So much of our future lies in preserving our past. – Peter Westbrook
