Youth Day event unites the community
Azaadville and Rietvallei celebrate Youth Day with community affair.
The communities of Azaadville and Rietvallei hosted the Celebrate Life Youth Day event at the Pink Hall on Youth Day.
Guest speakers gave motivational speeches to the audience and reminisced about the sacrifices made by the youth. Although tickets to the community affair were sold to the public, the youth enjoyed free entrance, and participants and guests were spoiled with gifts. Residents enjoyed an afternoon filled with great performances and displays of singing and dancing from local acts, such as the Mambaso Youth Group.
Proof that this was a real community affair comes from the fact that the catering and hall decorations were provided, free of charge by the residents, and the local church provided the sound system for the day.
A team of volunteers started planning the event three weeks ago. They put the proceedings together in the finest detail, until the final day, which was the 40th anniversary of the youth’s uprising in Soweto.
“We were amazed by the positive response that we received from the community – it was way beyond our expectations. This event gave us an amazing opportunity to work together as communities,” Shabier Dabhelia, the council candidate for Ward 3 said.
The event was such a success that community members have decided to do it again, on 4 September. Both communities will collaborate once again to host a talent show, with the aim of empowerment.
More Youth Day articles:
Locals make great strides on Youth Day
Local actor an inspiration to the youth
Youth Day: what is its significance 40 years later?
