The learners at Charterhouse Schools shared their reasons why South Africans choose to celebrate Youth Day:
Bukhosi Tshewula, in Grade 3, wrote: “To honour young people that have fought against apartheid on June 16, 1976. We also celebrate it to build a non-racial society. This day reminds us of peace, love, empathy and compassion.”
Lebogang Zoe Ngobese, in Grade 7, wrote: “I think we celebrate Youth Day to celebrate the people that were in the protest. They died for us so that we could get equal rights and they were doing it for the future generations. Everyone should celebrate Youth Day and also Youth Month as it is a very important month. If there wasn’t this month I don’t think that there would be equal rights among black and white people. It was a very sad story.”
Ethan Lazarus in Grade 7, wrote: “We celebrate Youth Day to encourage the reason why people died for us, for future generations. Young people died for us to get freedom because at that point the apartheid system was unfair towards black people. So, it also gave us freedom.”
