Heritage activist calls for stronger cultural diplomacy, youth empowerment and regional cooperation
Authored by: Captain SA | SA Rainbow News | 6 Sept 2026
LERIBE, KINGDOM OF LESOTHO — 5 September 2026 — South African heritage activist, cultural practitioner, theatre practitioner, cultural advocate and youth arts activist Lekgutsa Mbele delivered a powerful keynote address at the African Cultural Exchange held at Hleoheng Playgrounds in Leribe, Kingdom of Lesotho, on Friday.
#AfricanCulturalExchange #HeritageAndCulture #Lesotho #SouthAfrica #SARainbowNews
Mbele, the Founder and Director of Re Phethile Art Production and Provincial Chairperson of the South African Arts and Culture Youth Forum (SAACYF) in the Free State, was officially invited as a guest speaker to address distinguished guests, government representatives, traditional leaders, artists and young people from across Southern Africa.
The exchange was held under the theme: **“Heritage, Culture and Creative Expression as Instruments of African Unity, Youth Empowerment and Regional Cooperation.”
#AfricanUnity #CulturalDiplomacy #YouthEmpowerment #CreativeArts #SADC
A Message of Humility and Pan-African Unity
Opening his address with respect and recognition for Their Majesties, the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Lesotho, honourable ministers, Members of Parliament, traditional leaders and the people of Lesotho, Mbele expressed profound gratitude for the opportunity.
“It is with profound humility, honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today in the Kingdom of Lesotho. I receive this invitation not merely as a personal honour, but as an opportunity to represent the broader voice of African cultural practitioners, heritage activists, artists and young people who continue to believe in the transformative power of culture,” said Mbele.
He also conveyed warm greetings from the Republic of South Africa and the Free State Province.
#PanAfricanism #AfricanHeritage #CulturalLeadership #SouthernAfrica #Unity
Culture as a Bridge Between Nations
During his keynote address, Mbele emphasised that Lesotho and South Africa are connected by history, language, culture and family ties, and that cultural exchange should remain a central pillar of people-to-people relations.
“Where diplomacy creates formal relationships between states, culture creates relationships between people. Where governments sign agreements, culture builds understanding. Where borders separate territories, culture reminds us of what connects us.”
#LesothoSA #CulturalExchange #PeopleToPeople #AfricanConnections #RegionalCooperation
Heritage Is a Living Resource
Mbele made a strong call for African nations to stop treating heritage solely as something belonging to the past and instead recognise it as a living national asset that shapes identity, values, collective memory and future economic opportunities.
He highlighted African languages, traditional knowledge, music, dance, oral traditions, literature, architecture, ceremonies and sacred places as part of Africa’s shared inheritance.
“Protection alone is not enough. Our heritage must enter our classrooms, our theatres, our television screens, our cinemas and our digital platforms.”
He further called for heritage to become a meaningful source of economic opportunities for young people.
#LivingHeritage #AfricanIdentity #CulturalEconomy #HeritageMatters #CreativeIndustry
Youth Must Be at the Centre
A significant part of Mbele’s address focused on the role of young people in Africa’s development.
He said the continent’s greatest challenge was not a shortage of talent, but rather limited access to opportunities.
“Young Africans are not merely leaders of tomorrow. They are partners in development today. We cannot continue speaking about young people without giving them meaningful participation. We must move from speaking about young people to working with young people.”
Mbele challenged governments and cultural institutions to create more cross-border youth cultural programmes, artist residency opportunities, heritage research partnerships, school exchange programmes, film collaborations, music festivals and platforms for creative entrepreneurs.
“A young artist should not have to abandon his or her talent simply because there is no platform available.”
#AfricanYouth #YouthInDevelopment #CreativeOpportunities #ArtsForChange #FutureOfAfrica
Protecting African Languages and Empowering Women
Mbele also issued an urgent call for the protection and promotion of indigenous African languages, describing language as a carrier of identity, history and philosophy.
“There must never be shame in speaking an African language. Our languages are a source of dignity.”
He paid tribute to African women as important custodians of culture, recognising their role in preserving songs, stories, crafts and community traditions across generations.
Mbele said women must also be empowered as leaders and entrepreneurs within the growing cultural economy.
#IndigenousLanguages #AfricanWomen #CulturalPreservation #WomenInCulture #AfricanPride
Africa Must Tell Its Own Story
In one of the most powerful moments of his address, Mbele challenged Africans to take ownership of their own narratives and tell their stories with confidence, dignity and accuracy.
“For generations, many African stories have been interpreted through external perspectives. The time has come for us to tell our own stories with confidence, accuracy and dignity.”
He added that every elder carries history and that traditional songs contain the memories and experiences of generations.
#TellOurStories #AfricanNarratives #OralHistory #AfricanVoices #CulturalPride
A Call for Stronger Lesotho–South Africa Cooperation
Mbele called on Lesotho and South Africa to strengthen cultural cooperation, saying such partnerships should not be viewed as a luxury but as an investment in social cohesion, peace and development.
“Let our artists become ambassadors of friendship. Let our heritage practitioners become custodians of our shared history. Let our creative industries become engines of opportunity.”
#LesothoSouthAfrica #CulturalCooperation #PeaceThroughCulture #CreativeEconomy #SADCUnity
A Rousing Conclusion
Closing his address, Mbele delivered a powerful message that resonated with the audience:
“Our borders may define our states, but our culture connects our people. Our history tells us where we come from, but our responsibility determines what we leave behind.”
He challenged the current generation to be remembered as the generation that protected African heritage, empowered African youth and transformed cultural exchange into meaningful cultural cooperation.
His message concluded with the powerful declaration:
“Our Heritage is our Identity. Our Culture is our Strength. Our Youth are our Future. And Our Unity is Our Destination.”
Mbele ended his address by saying:
“Ke a leboha. Pula! Pula! Pula! May the Kingdom of Lesotho prosper. May the Republic of South Africa prosper. May Southern Africa prosper. And may Africa rise through the strength of her people, her heritage and her culture.”
#AfricaRise #HeritageIsIdentity #CultureIsStrength #YouthAreTheFuture #AfricanUnity
The African Cultural Exchange in Leribe is being hailed as a major success in strengthening people-to-people relations across the SADC region. Delegates from Eswatini have reportedly also expressed interest in having the gathering extended to their Kingdom in the future.
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