INTRODUCTION: Today, we “ cannot continue to place certain cultural, religious and linguistic communities on a pedestal and regard them as primary and first among equals. The challenge for us is to seek and find ways to promote and protect our cultural diversity. As the United Nations has declared, “cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as bio-diversity is for nature.”

VISION, MISSION, STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES To contribute meaningfully and constructively to social transformation and nation-building for the attainment of a truly united South Africa

MISSION Promote, develop and foster Mutual Respect, Peace, Friendship, humanity, tolerance, equality, non-discrimination, free association, national unity The right of communities to develop their historically diminished cultural heritage

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Establish and maintain a qualitative human and financial resource management system Promote respect for the rights of cultural religious and linguistic communities

THE FIRST NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE Background to the NCC Key Features Key Issues Raised Key Recommendations Way forward

BACKGROUND TO THE NCC Mandatory First twelve months and every five years Specific categories of communities Specific outputs/outcomes

INPUTS & OUTPUTS Report of the Commission - activities, - accomplishments, - challenges and - recommendations Evaluation of progress in South Africa with regard to - promotion of respect for and the furthering of the protection of the

INPUTS & OUTPUTS rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities and - furthering of peace, friendship, humanity, tolerance and national unity among and within crl communities on the basis of equality, nondiscrimination and free association Formulation of requests and recommendations to the Commission in relation to (a) and (b) above

INPUTS & OUTPUTS Discussion of conference resolutions pertaining to requests to and priorities for the Commission Promoting appreciation for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity (sec 25 of the CRL Commission Act)

IMBIZO NCC THEME: “Unity in Diversity: A challenge?”

KEY FEATURES Daily Multi-religious prayers - African religion, - Christianity, - Hinduism, - Islam, - Judaism, and - Rastafarian… Mixed cultural performance Political presentations setting the stage Gala Dinners of the conference.

KEY FEATURES (Cont) Multi cultural food and food Presentations on - Culture and Nation Building - Religion and Nation Building - Language and Nation Building Dialogue: plenary, group discussion

KEY FEATURES (CONT) Simultaneous translation Reference documents: Copies of the CRL Commission Act in eleven languages

ISSUES RAISED Culture - We should create an environment in which no culture is regarded as inferior. - Who benefits from the commercialisation of our heritage through tourism? - Can we survive if culture is being regarded as a commodity convention of cultural diversity?

- Renaming of places, rivers do be done without being divisive - Dominance of English language and western culture

Issues Raised - Community rights versus cultural, religious and linguistic rights-is there a contradiction? - Europeanization of African people - Negative portrayal by the media of some cultural, religious and linguistic communities

Issues Raised - The role of culture in NEPAD and other multilateral programmes - The need to bridge the gap between cultural imperialism and cultural chauvinism. - Identity as a basis for human dignity

Issues Raised - Cultural, religious and linguistic diversity should permeate our educational curricula in order for socialisation to be consistent with the promotion of crl diversity - The media needs to provide, through its presentations, a forum for sharing the wealth of South Africa’s cultural diversity

Issues Raised Religion: Religion is an agent for nation building and as such must be practiced in a manner respectful of others - Need to create space for the promotion of indigenous religions – part of diminished heritage – Khoisan religion.

Issues raised - Young people not to be seen as “empty bottles to be filled, but candles to be lit”. - The CRL Commission should do a study on Satanism and its impact on communities. - The extent to which in promoting and protecting religious rights interfaces with faith communities. - CRL Commission should provide platform for regular and appropriate communication

Issues Raised Language - Need to clarify ambiguity in National Language Policy. As a nation do we support bilingualism or multilingualism - What makes a language official – in terms of resource allocation (Courts, schools and literature?)

Issues Raised - Challenge of accommodating and promoting “smaller languages.” - Education Department to provide resources, both human and financial for language promotion. - SABC programming be sensitive/ reflect linguistic diversity.

Issues Raised - Create space for promotion of sign language. - CRLC should encourage discussion on South African Languages Bill.

CONCLUSION FINAL ANALYSIS The first NCC created space for interaction and expression of the needs and aspirations of the various crl communities. These ranged from the need to - improve awareness of one another’s cultures, religions and languages - community education - research - recognition of significant occasions in the history of the various communities, nation, continent and the world.

STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITY FOCUS Participative Research and Monitoring Awareness Education and Advocacy Development of Diminishing Cultural Heritage National and International Relations Consultations Strategic interventions

Examples

Strategic Programmes As attached

RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS Human Resources Budget Budget Deficit (R11 000)