Pretoria – South Africa has on Commonwealth Day, called on Commonwealth countries around the world, to promote its values and principles.

“This will enhance the global profile of the Commonwealth, bring its citizens more closely together and advance the goals of democracy and development,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said on Monday.

Commonwealth Day is celebrated annually on the second Monday in March.

The aim of commemorating Commonwealth Day is to promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its two billion citizens.

This year, the day is being commemorated under the theme: “An Inclusive Commonwealth”, which provides members the opportunity to consider the significance of community; the importance of diversity and difference; the question of belonging; the values of tolerance, respect and understanding; and the sense of shared responsibility that exists within the commonwealth today.

South Africa said it fully appreciates the strength of diversity which is reflected in the national motto: “!ke e:xarra//ke” meaning “diverse people unite” or “people who are different joining together”, as well as the Constitution which declares that “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity”.

This embraces every inhabitant of the country, both citizen and non-citizen who resides in it.

But government has acknowledged that it is a major task to reconstruct South Africa’s fractured and divided past to a more socially and economically inclusive society that is proud of all its cultural expressions.

Government said it will be mobilising people to act together to enable the birth of a new culture around national symbols and values and create new forms of engagement towards greater unity.

“We must actively work toward achieving a more cohesive society,” the department said in its message to commemorate the day.

In fulfilling this objective, the Department of Arts and Culture has developed and implemented a social cohesion programme that ensures ongoing dialogues about social cohesion and which uses prominent members of society, known as social cohesion advocates, to promote the national agenda.

These dialogues and discussions are aimed at promoting tolerance and understanding between people of different ages, races and genders.

Government noted that heritage remains an essential part of the social cohesion and nation-building agenda.

The strategic objective is therefore aimed at implementing heritage programmes for socio-economic development, to promote previously marginalised heritage and to strengthen strategic partnerships internally and externally to preserve and promote South African heritage and therefore developing a common heritage for all its citizens.

SOURCE: SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT NEWS AGENCY