June16.org's first annual South Africa Youth Day rally in New York will be held in Crotona Park, The Bronx, on Monday June 16th, 2003, from 3pm to 7pm, in conjunction with Bronx Week, Juneteenth, and UN World Refugee Day (June 20th).

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO JR. headlines the festivities with their first concert ever in the United States. The Impact Repertory Theater and others will also perform. Historical videos will be shown, followed by discussion about the meaning of the Day and how to apply it here. Mural painting, crafts made from recycled materials, photography, basketball, roller blading and poetry slam workshops will be offered, as well as the playing of NetAid's new World Class poverty-awareness game, and the singing of South African freedom songs.

"The point of the project is to transcend the spectrum of causes and inspire youth to positive action based on the South African example," Sara Russell of Ikamva Labantu explains. "To build on the unity and commitment the youth of Soweto showed in transforming their own society."

In South Africa, Youth Day is a commemoration of the Soweto Uprising of 1976. What began as a peaceful youth protest against the forced imposition of the Afrikaans language and poor conditions in the schools turned tragic when police fired on the unarmed students, slaughtering more than seven hundred youth over a few days and bringing international attention back to the anti-apartheid struggle.

"Next year is the 10th anniversary of democracy and freedom in South Africa," says Rudi Mbele, an original organizer of the Soweto protests and now an event promoter specializing in South African music who is donating Jr. Mambazo. "We have to start now building this movement."

In addition to Mbele speakers include: Rudzani Nemasetoni, Miles Solay, Danny Schechter, Danya Steele (one of Teen People's "20 Teens who will change the world"), and the Clinton Democracy Fellows. "We're really excited to be kicking this off in the Bronx," adds Peter Griffin, co-coordinator, an educator with schools and After Schools in the borough.

June16.org is a community of more than three dozen organizations dedicated to creating public awareness of Youth Day as a rallying point for action throughout the year. Everything so far has been totally nonbranded and nonsponsored and done without funding. Click for a list of participating organizations.

"If people can't make it to the rally, they can still contribute," project cofounder Michael Lee adds. "Just by telling a friend that this is Youth Day, or sharing it with their class, or sending out an email, or learning something new about South Africa. This project is not about one event. It's about the long term, about risk, voice, standing up and making a statement."

For more information check out www.june16.org or contact:

Participants in the community so far include: Afropop Worldwide, ASAP, Afrozania, Brotherhood Sister Sol, Bronx River Art Center, Carnegie Hall Education, Chashama, Clinton Democracy Fellows at City Year, DCTV, Frederick Douglass Academy II, Global Youth Action Network/Taking it Global, Globalvision/Media Channel, Harlem Arts Alliance, Harlem Live!, Hoops 4 Hope, Ikamva Labantu, Imagenation, Impact Repertory Theater, InterConnection, Madiba, NetAid, NYC Parks and Recreation, NYU Metro Center, Nos Quedamos, The Point, Rocking the Boat, South African Consulate in New York, South African Permanent Mission to the UN, Sustainable South Bronx, TRAFIKAfilms, Ubuntu Education Fund, United for Peace and Justice, UN World Refugee Day, Urban Word NYC, Vygor Solutions, WBAI-FM, World Hunger Year, Youth Bloc.

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