27 October 2011

Programme Director

The Vice Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, Professor Loyiso Nongxa

Deputy Vice Chancellors, Deans of faculties, Heads of Schools and other Members of the Academia here present

The Director of the Rock Art Research Institute at Wits University, Professor Ben Smith

The Project Manager and Curator of this exhibition, Mr. Siyakha Mnguni

Members of the diplomatic corps, especially from our partners in this project, Mozambique, Botswana and Mexico

All our other partners in this project

Community leaders
 
Students of Rock Art here present   

Honoured guests

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Let me begin by congratulating and extending our best wishes to the organizers of this important Exhibition.

I wish to also take this opportunity to reiterate our ongoing support as the Department of Arts and Culture to this project of international significance.

Programme Director, today marks an important milestone in our ongoing endeavor to built new and fresh bonds of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and Mexico.

Indeed the exhibition we are launching today will go a long way in strengthening the agenda of promoting South-South relations as well relations among countries in the SADC region.

Today, through this launch, we are demonstrating that because of our common heritage we share a common destiny.
 
For us as African countries this collaboration seeks to reaffirm that Africa is the place where art began and that it is from Africa that ancient forms of civilization originate.

It is here therefore, in the African Continent, that the preservation of early art forms, which are an integral part of who were are and serve as one of our many contributions to modern civilization, should be championed and prioritized.
 
In particular as South Africa, we trust that this project will support efforts to position our country as the premiere international destination for rock art tourism.

This partnership offers us an opportunity to share with our counter-parts expertise in areas such as rock art tourism, rock art management and conservation, graffiti cleaning and rock art research.

We will also use this partnership to strengthen our own research capacity, as well as the management and preservation of our rock art; which is an integral part of our nation’s heritage assets.

Programme Director, we launch this exhibition at a time when the Department of Arts and Culture is implementing the Mzanzi Golden Economy Strategy.

As you all know this strategy is intended to enhance the contribution of the cultural and creative industries in the economy.

Specifically, this Strategy seeks to strengthen our sector’s contribution to the achievement of the objectives of the New Growth Path, while ensuring that we promote nation building, social cohesion and national healing.
As we implement this Strategy we are fully aware of evidence globally that suggests that countries with a high degree of social cohesion experience better prospects for sustainable economic development

Part of what the Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy involves is the establishment of an Art Bank and a Public Art Programme.

We trust that exhibitions such as these ones will be featured in our Art Bank and Public Art programme, thus exposing South Africans and the peoples of the world to a variety of art forms found in our country.

This includes pre-colonial art forms of which rock art is an integral part.

We also trust that through this project our efforts in South Africa to use rock art to promote social cohesion and a better appreciation of the value of our rich and diverse cultural heritage will be enhanced.

Programme Director we are encouraged that this project has a strong focus on the involvement of local communities.

To us this is very important as it will contribute to the long-term sustainability of this project.

We take this opportunity to urge communities to protect the rock art paintings found in their areas.
This they must do fully aware of the role this important national heritage asset can play in promoting local tourism, job creation and local economic development.

I wish you a successful exhibition.

May the bonds of friendship and solidarity between all our countries grow from strength to strength.

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