Freedom Park opens up for residents to celebrate their heritage

The Department of Tourism and Freedom Park hosted an educational and entertaining Heritage Day celebration at Salvokop, Pretoria on Friday.

The day is celebrated on September 24 annually in South Africa, to encourage citizens to be proud of their culture and together rejoice the diversity of their beliefs and traditions under the context of building a united nation.

The event at Freedom Park saw a large number of residents accessing the monument for free to learn about the history of South Africa, know about people who are honoured at the park and celebrate the Heritage Day.

“As the government in the arts fraternity, tourism fraternity as well as generally in the political consciousness, we decided to open up Freedom Park for the residents of the capital city to enjoy the national Heritage Day celebration like others in the country,” said the chief director of communications at tourism department, Blessing Manale.

He said the Freedom Park was both a tourist destination and the liberation heritage site.

“We called residents and other South Africans to come here to reflect and find the diversity of the South Africans who are honoured in this great monument.”

He said tourism department held the view that most South Africans were unable to travel far.

South Africans cannot travel, for example abroad, said Manale, citing that together with Freedom Park, they decided to allow families to spend a day at the monument for free in order to also walk in the park and have picnics.

“It is about opening up public tourism spaces for South Africans to reflect and regain strength.”

He said heritage day was not only about knowing where people were coming from but it was also about where they were going to.

“This allows you to continue carrying the good things about the past and bury the past so that you can remember and avoid them from happening again.”

He said through the celebration, the government was beginning to show the event industry that they can do business without having big numbers in their events.

“You can do small numbers in an open space. With the right audience you can still make money and sell your artistic work. We are saying 500 is doable in an open space.”

One of the residents Roselyn Chitunza said she was excited to attend the event.

“I feel good to be here. This place is so nice, pure and natural,” Chitunza said.

“Even my spirit is revived.”

Manale said the department was considering doing similar events every month in various signature sites.

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