31 Jan 2022

Government has rejected a call by Ntlo Ya Dikgosi to establish and set aside a public holiday to commemorate National Heritage Day.

Responding to a request tabled by Kgosi Johane Rakumako of Tswapong Region, Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Dumizweni Mthimkhulu said Botswana already had ten official public holidays.

He said having more public holidays would impact negatively on productivity, income generation by the private sector and the economy of the country at large. He explained that Botswana had commemorated National Culture Day on May 21 since 2008, adding that it was considered as the day to commemorate culture and heritage.

Mr Mthimkhulu said in 2010 the Ministry of Youth, Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development proposed for consideration of the month of July as the National Heritage Month.

He said the view was for the month to be dedicated to the celebration of Botswana’s archival records, culture, heritage sites and monuments.

He said the celebration was intended to uphold the memories and ever – evolving legacy and traditions encapsulated in song, games, dance, stories, dress, arts and culture.

He said the proposal was drawn from the National Policy on Culture, of 2001 which sought “to reawaken Batswana’s appreciation for and respect of their own culture in order to reinforce a sense of national unity and pride, to stimulate and foster creativity in all spheres of national life so that they can continue to improve the quality of their own life while making their original contribution towards the vast store of human civilisation, and to strengthen their sense of identity, thus sensitising Batswana to the need to assimilate innovation within the context of their own culture.”

Mr Mthimkhulu therefore said rather than a public holiday, government would go with the National Culture Day and Heritage month approach in July.

He stressed that the commemoration created an enabling environment for flourishing of artistic and cultural expression, development and exchange for arts and culture services and programmes, provision of creative platforms and economic opportunities for established and emerging artists, innovative voices for the development of cultural industries, facilitation of exchange opportunities and network development between artists and international cultural practitioners and a basis for capacity building initiatives and acquisition of skills.

Kgosi Rakumako had requested government to include National Heritage Day in the list of Botswana public holidays. Ends