Human Rights Month is commemorated in March to remind South Africans about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in our country.
We are celebrating Human Rights Day under the theme “Deepening a culture of social justice and human rights.” This theme speaks to the core of dignified human existence and interaction.
As a country, we must also not take the freedom we enjoy for granted, forgetting that it is a product of sacrifices made by our predecessors who are alive and some already beyond this earthly life. It is my sincere belief that we all have a responsibility to build on that foundation in creating a society that is just and fair and cherishes human rights.
This will be achieved if we collectively take this as a journey of a united effort, which each of us will act on, not a mere rhetoric. The arts constitute the ultimate social cohesion vehicle of transformation and inclusiveness; consequently, change agents, this democracy we are enjoying, we must cherish it, promote it and protect it.
We at Artscape dedicate our Human Rights Day to the late Athol Fugard. It is fitting that Artscape is producing the acclaimed work My Children, My Africa!: a play that remains one of the many prolific works of the celebrated author Athol Fugard. We have been and will, for as long as it is a prescribed setwork, showcase it annually as part of our Grade 12 Schools setwork productions.
Born in 1932, Fugard is known for his “pen mightier than the sword” philosophy to tackle the inhumane system of Apartheid through literature. We deeply appreciate and celebrate the brilliance Fugard brought to the world, and his legacy will forever resonate within the chronicles of both South African and international literary history. He was a passionate advocate that theatre and education are powerful tools for bringing about positive social change. Artscape, like Isobel in My Children! My Africa! hopes to fulfil Fugard’s cry to action believing that “the future is still ours.”
My Children, My Africa! Runs at Artscape from 9 – 16 April 2025.