Remember and celebrate the power of youth

AMIRA BENGURI-KARSTAEDT

We are reminded of the courageous and outspoken black youth who participated in the Soweto uprising 44 years ago. We take time to recognise those students’ role in the painful and arduous journey leading up to the end of apartheid, and we show solidarity and gratitude.

However, Youth Day isn’t only a memorial, but a celebration. We celebrate the power of the youth, who have always been regarded as the agents of a brighter future. It’s with this vision of a better future that Youth Day is able to encourage today’s youth to stand up and enact change.

The Soweto uprising of 1976 resulted in tragedy, with many innocent young lives lost in the noble process of resisting oppression and fighting for the human right to a decent education. Yet, in the long-term, it has been an example of the youth’s determination in spite of all odds, which sends an optimistic message to present-day South African youth.

Unfortunately, there is still injustice and oppression in South Africa and across the world, which makes Youth Day even more inspiring and important. Every year, Youth Day is an empowering day for me in which I am able to connect to others and engage with South Africa’s history.

It has certainly been a challenge to feel as empowered while confined to my home in the wake of a global pandemic. Even though our physical circumstances seem to neither liberate nor unite us very much, the exact opposite can be said for our spiritual circumstances. South Africa has been working as a single entity to flatten the curve, and a significant effort has been made to uplift one another during these difficult times.

It’s safe to say that Youth Day might not feel the same this year, but different isn’t always a bad thing. I’m hopeful that the coronavirus pandemic will cause us to be more mindful of all that South Africa has accomplished with the help of its youth. After all, this pandemic has pushed us to adapt, and the way in which we celebrate Youth Day 2020 will be no exception.

• Amira Benguri-Karstaedt is in Grade 11 at King David High School Victory Park.