Song was the order of the day as different provinces took the stage to showcase their musical talents at the 2019 older persons cultural choir festival event which took place on 22 October at Nelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape, as part of the Annual Active Ageing Programme.
The cultural choir festivals are part of the Golden games and focus on sport activities that target older persons who are 60 years and older with the aim to promote healthy lifestyle and enhance the quality of life for Older Persons.
In her remarks the MEC for Eastern Cape Department Social Development Ms Siphokazi Lusithi said we sing when we celebrate and it is how we communicate to express ourselves. "As elders because you came before us, you understand the role of song and music, a song bears message and we need to preserve the heritage that is music" She said.
Senior citizens partake in these games to show case their talents and highlight their abilities and capabilities as a sign of integration, transformation and cohesion of older person in the country and to promote advocacy of the rights and protection of older persons as per the South African Older Persons Forum.
When addressing all present, the Deputy Minister of Social Development Ms Hendrietta Bogopane- Zulu warned against the type of songs that are sang at weddings "we must ask ourselves if the songs are relevant given the challenges that we are faced with in relation to the scourge of Gender Based Violence"
"We dedicate this festival to the men, women and children who died through gender based violence" reiterated Bogopane-Zulu.