On June 16 South Africa celebrates National Youth Day to commemorate the anniversary of the Soweto Uprising.

The World Cup affords an opportunity for nations across the globe to celebrate competition, athleticism and teamwork at its  best. It also provides an opportunity to spotlight national and global social issues.

Youth Day reminds us of the history of South Africa and the struggle against apartheid.

From Wikipedia entry for Soweto uprising:
“On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against having to learn through Afrikaans in school. Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protest, yet agreed to become involved. The protest was intended to be peaceful and had been carefully planned by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement. Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasized good discipline and peaceful action.”

The uprising was a key moment in the struggle by South Africans to defeat the regime and its policy of apartheid.

[Post in conjunction with Goal 2010!, CCAI's exhibition of the FIFA World Cup fine art poster portfolio. Graphic from google image search for 'Soweto uprising.' Caption: "Soweto June 1976. Mbuyisa Makhubu carries the body of Hector Pieterson, shot by police during the student protest against Afrikaans as the school language medium. (Photograph by Sam Nzima)"]

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South African columnist Tony Lankester makes the case that companies should sponsor the arts over sports teams or athletes because it provides the best value. “Delve a little deeper into the traditions and customs of South Africans and you’ll quickly see that while spectator sport is a diversion and a hobby about which people feel strongly, the arts is more fundamental to the fabric of who we are. Storytelling, dance, poetry, and music is the way we have shared our experiences over the years, and the way millions of youngsters shape their identity and learn their heritage. It’s isn’t surprising that one of the fastest growing pastimes in South Africa isn’t soccer, rugby, or running. It is performance poetry. Edgy, creative, bold, and full of attitude, today’s poets are the leading voices of a generation who are taking control of their own destinies. Creativity equals authenticity. The experience of being part of creative expression—as performer or audience or that joyous middle where the lines blur—provides an entry to the heart of South Africans that too few of our brands recognize. A staggering 43 percent of adult South Africans maintain that they feel more positively toward a company that sponsors the arts, according to [research firm] BMI-TechKnowledge. That’s a significant amount of untapped goodwill in the marketplace.”
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