Johannesburg, Friday, 28 September 2018 – Brand South Africa is proud to collaborate with the National Heritage Council (NHC) and various other stakeholders on its annual programme Heritage Education Schools Outreach Programme (HESOP).
Speaking about the programme, Brand South Africa’s Strategic Relationship Manager, Ms Toni Gumede said; “Brand South Africa is very pleased to be collaborating on this programme for the second year. The significance for Brand South Africa as the custodian of the South African Nation Brand, is that through HESOP, young people get to engage with their heritage and identity which is enabling for building pride and patriotism, as an important part of Brand South Africa’s work.”
The HESOP programme is targeted at Grade 9 to 11 learners from public schools and is designed to deepen awareness and appreciation of our common and diverse heritage through an inter-cultural exchange, presentations, traditional performances and a visit to a heritage site of cultural significance.
In a statement the Chief Executive of the NHC, Adv. Sonwabile Mancotywa, said; “We also pride ourselves in decolonizing heritage for the future leaders of the country to start writing about and telling their own history as well as to better understand their heritage.”
Each Province is represented by the school that won the provincial round of presentations. This year the 2018 HESOP competition will be at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in Free State from 01st – 05th October 2018.
“One of the most attractive features of our beautiful country is the diversity of culture and multiplicity of lenses through which our stories are being told. It’s a privilege few are afforded to be able to own such a rich heritage as ours and we should not only appreciate it but share it, collectively. We are proud of all the schools that made it this far and encourage other schools to get involved in HESOP”, adds Ms Gumede.
The names of the schools participating at the 2018 HESOP, who also won the provincial presentations, are;
Free State: Selelekela Sec School
Gauteng: Sunward Park High School
Kwazulu Natal: Nsikayethu High School
Limpopo: George Mbulaheni Secondary School
Mpumalanga: Valencia High School
Northern Cape: Emmanuel Secondary School
North West: Vuyani – Mawethu High School
Western Cape: John Ramsey High School
Eastern Cape: Jongilizwe S.S.S