The Department of Arts and Culture will host a special conference for Social Cohesion Advocates on 19 March 2014 at the 3 Rivers Lodge in Vereeniging, Sedibeng. These thirty eminent South Africans have been appointed as advocates to promote social cohesion and nation building. These include Judge Yvonne Mokgoro, Dr Patric Solomons, Don Mattera, Dennis Goldberg and many others.

The conference will be preceded by a Welcome Cocktail Function on 18 March to be addressed by Minister Paul Mashatile.

The purpose of the conference is to create a consultative platform for the Advocates whose tasks it is to popularise and create awareness about social cohesion. The conference also seeks to launch a nation-wide Advocates’ program to highlight and mainstream their role in creating a caring and inclusive society. It is crucial in working towards the attainment of the National Development’s Vision 2030.

The conference is a follow up to resolutions taken at the National Social Cohesion Summit held in Kliptown, Soweto in July 2012. The aim of the Summit was to afford citizens and sectors of society to contribute to the draft Social Cohesion Strategy and to come up with an implementation plan.

The summit was representative of all key sectors of society ranging from government, the youth, people with disabilities, business labour, cultural and religious groups, political parties and civil society. This culminated in a declaration with the 12 summit resolutions.

The Advocates for Social Cohesion also have an oversight role to ensure that all sectors of society play their part to implement the resolutions of the Summit.

The conference is one of the major steps towards a national Report Back Summit to be held later this year where government, civil society, business and other stakeholders will deliberate on the progress made regarding implementation of the Social Cohesion Strategy Framework. Members of the media are invited to attend.

Details of the Cocktail are as follows:       

Date                            : 18 March 2014

Time                            : 17h00

Venue                          : 3 Rivers Lodge, Vereeniging

Conference details are as follows:               

Date                            : 19 March 2014 (Closed Session until 4pm)

Time                            : 16h30

Venue                          : 3 Rivers Lodge, Vereeniging

RSVPS: Jamesma@dac.gov.za :  078 802 8802/012 441 3639

Enquiries                     : Mogomotsi Mogodiri 071 687 4984

                                 : Mack Lewele 0824505076