The national rounds of the iNkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Programme, introduced in 2005, will be taking place at the DBE Conference Centre in Pretoria, Gauteng Province from 21 to 23 August 2026. The programme, named after Chief Albert John Luthuli, a Nobel Prize laureate and educationist, is part of the promotion of oral history, particularly local history, and promotes the love for the subject and encourages the youth to pursue careers in the fields of History and Social Sciences. The programme capacitates learners with inquiry skills needed to challenge the dismissed and inaccurately recorded histories of our unsung heroes and heroines. The programme is open to learners in primary and secondary schools, Grades 7 to 11.

The role that social cohesion and nation building programmes play in South African schools are in line with the National Development Plan (NDP) objective for South Africa to, by 2030, “be a society where opportunity is not determined by race or birth right, and where citizens accept they have both rights and responsibilities. We will be a united, prosperous, non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic country.” The Department of Basic Education (DBE) implements legislation-based programmes promoting democratic participation, nation building, and social cohesion. Anchored in the Public Holiday’s Act and the Electoral Commission Act, the Department delivers civic education and commemorative programmes that engage learners, communities, and youth in active citizenship.

Mr Likho Bottoman, Director for Social Cohesion and Equity in Education, explained that “issues of race, cultural, religious, gender and sexual diversity cannot be underplayed. Our intention is not to only sensitise children on issues such as racism, discrimination, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia and related intolerances, which often fuel incidences of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and bullying, but also the cultivation of values enshrined in the Constitution through human rights education to contribute to the building of responsible citizens and constitutional literacy, and deepening respect for diversity, equity and freedom towards social cohesion and nation building”.

The iNkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Programme takes place at an opportune time when South Africa commemorates 30 Years of the Constitution (1996–2026). Government officially launched the Milestones of Freedom Campaign under the theme “Honouring the past. Delivering the future” during June this year. The Campaign is a year-long national initiative that commemorates South Africa’s democratic milestones, whilst reinforcing the link between freedom, service delivery and ongoing nation-building, marking over three decades since the dawn of democracy in 1994, under the theme: “30 Years of Constitutional Democracy: One Constitution, One Nation – Reflect, Renew, Recommit”. This significant moment is an opportunity to reflect on the country’s democratic journey and the transformative vision embodied in the Constitution.