THE OPENING

The Opening Ceremony




With all the negativity about the World Youth & Student Summit, one would think that the 20 000 people strong youth that gathered at the Lucas “Masterpieces” Morepe Super Stadium in Attridgeville, Pretoria where assembled to plan the world’s biggest multi-cultural youth jol; at least that is what popular South African media has been telling anyone with a chip on the shoulder that is willing to listen. The question that begs an answer is as to whether the aide that South Africa is giving to countries that once supported us in our apartheid struggle is worth the penny that is being forked out for this festival. The truth is no amount of money in the world is enough to heal the sadness and disparity that we encounter on a daily bases.
The opening Ceremony of the WYFS (World Festival of Youth and Students) was nothing short of a global intervention to tell the world that the humble people of the world will not be silenced, oppressed and made fools of any longer. More than 150 countries came to congress in the pouring rain eager to address the injustices and crimes that each one of the youth and their countries are subjected to everyday.

The way the rain came down on the morning of the 13th would have made any non-believer think that the gods were mad at the youth for their avid defiance, but as you may or may not know, in African culture rain is regarded a blessing from the ancestors. And so it was proved rightfully so when the skies opened their arms and the beautiful Pretoria sun embraced event as the program was due to begin.

The ceremony was opened in true South African style by the cast of Umoja serenading the visitors with an awe-inspiring performance. Not since the World Cup Opening Ceremony had so many faces come to life in such unity and excitement. Gripping performances by Winnie Khumalo, Spokazi and the South African Military band raised the bar to heights incomparable to any marking the first day of the World Youth Spectacular.

The speakers for the evening where Andile Lungisa of the NYDA, The Secretary General of WFDY, Jesus Mora, the President of the IOC Tiago Vieira, The President of the ANCYL, Julius Malema and President Jacob Zuma. Inspiring worlds of leadership, tenacity and unity were shared by the hefty leaders who described the crimes experienced by the youths of countries like Burma, Sudan, Western Sahara, Cyprus, New Zealand and many others as nothing short of an abomination. Genocide, Inequality, Rape, Sodomy Lack of education and Exploitation of resources by international powerhouses, like the USA are some of the topics that the speakers felt that this festival would serve to address.