On Saturday, 18th March 2023, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture hosted an awards ceremony for the “The Social Cohesion project competition for High School Students”. “The Social Cohesion project competition for High School Students” was organized by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Turquoise Harmony Institute and, as part of efforts to promote social cohesion and combat discrimination and division in the country. The competition aimed to encourage young people to develop innovative solutions to promote unity and respect among people from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Esteemed guests from academia, media, government, NGO, and education sectors were in attendance to celebrate the achievements of the young people and their innovative solutions to promote social cohesion in South Africa.
During the ceremony, the winners were presented with their awards and spoke about their projects and their motivations for participating in the competition. The guests were impressed by the creativity and dedication of the young people and expressed their support for their projects and the broader goal of promoting social cohesion in South Africa. The winners were selected based on the potential impact, feasibility, and creativity of their projects.
The competition has served as a valuable platform for promoting unity and tolerance among communities in South Africa, and the winners’ projects are expected to make a positive impact in their respective communities.
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| Mr Nhalnhla Nkobi | Ms Vinolia Mabele |
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| Social Cohesion project competition for High School Students | Winners of the Social Cohesion project competition for High School Students |
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| Tabish Zaheer Mukhtar | |
The winners and their outstanding projects are:
1. Tabish Zaheer Mukhtar from Star College in Cape Town. His project was titled “Collective Catering” and sought to bring people from diverse backgrounds together through food, creating opportunities for conversation and connection.
2. Mpumelelo Msipa from Horizon High School in Johannesburg. His project was titled “Back to my Roots Museum” and sought to preserve and showcase the cultural heritage of South African communities, promoting pride and unity.
3. Priscilla Kazembe from Nizamiye Mayfair High School in Johannesburg. Her project was titled “Empowerment Clubs against Gender-Based Violence and Racism”. This is a project that establishes clubs to educate and empower individuals to take a stand against gender-based violence and racism, fostering a more inclusive community.
4. Sarah Laher from Al-Azhar Institute in Port Elizabeth. Her project was entitled “Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health for a Cohesive Society”. The project aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues and promoting acceptance and support within communities.
5. Rahma Diallo and Maha Shaffique from Nizamiye Mayfair High School in Johannesburg. Their project was titled “Compenionsco”. The project focused on providing safe spaces for dialogue and understanding between different cultural, religious, and ethnic groups through
The winners will receive funding and mentorship to implement their projects and make a positive impact in their communities.
