To commemorate 40 years since the Soweto Uprising, Iziko Museums of South Africa has granted free entry to nine of its museums in and around Cape Town on Youth Day, Thursday, June 16.

The Youth Day programme will take place at the Iziko Slave Lodge, the focus of which is to commemorate, connect and celebrate the Youth of the Past, Present and Future and to reflect on the activism of youth in South Africa.

Iziko, in collaboration with the Institute for the Creative Arts will host a performance (11:30 for 12:00 – 12:35) by Jazzart Dance Theatre. The performance which celebrates the 40th anniversary entitled Time is choreographed by Sifiso Kweyama.

The piece celebrates the strength and courage of the youth of 1976 and is performed by the 6th intake of young dancers into the Jazzart Training Programme which is well known for developing and nurturing the talents of these young dancers many of whom often have to overcome their own struggles to succeed in the dance world. This is the first in a series of commemorative day performance activations by the Iziko/ICA partnership.

On that historic day in 1976, black students took to the streets to fight for their educational rights. Our nation has come a long way since then but there is still much to be done for our youth and by our youth.

Current Iziko exhibitions that will inspire and enthuse young people are; Studio at the SA National Gallery which is a platform for young artists to exhibit, learn and explore their art. At the Slave Lodge you can take in Singing Freedom an exhibition about the role music has played in our struggle for freedom. While there, fashionistas can take in the exhibition on isiShweshwe, the local fabric that is taking the world by storm.

To further mark this special occasion, a new exhibition called, “Art of Disruption” will open at the Iziko SA National Gallery on the day. All these provide us with the opportunity to experience the passions of young people that was a driving force behind the liberation struggle of our country.

For those unable to reach any of our museums, they can catch the Iziko Mobile Museum – a customised van equipped with ten interactive objects and artefacts suitable for all ages, at Kalkfontein Community Hall on 16 June 2016.

For this and many more of our cultural treasures visit http://www.iziko.org.za