[Photo by Fiona MacPherson of Tiisetso Mashifane’s “Rise 1976”]
June 2026 | Youth Month Edition | by Mamokgatla Rakubu (ASSITEJ SA Board Member)
June 2026 marks a historic milestone for South Africa as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, a defining moment in our nation’s journey toward freedom and democracy.
This year’s national theme, “Reset @ 50: The Future Calls,” invites us to reflect on how far we have come while courageously imagining the future we want to build together.
For ASSITEJ South Africa, this theme resonates deeply with our mission to unapologetically champion theatre and performing arts for children and young people. The future calls for bold storytelling, inclusive creative spaces, and opportunities for young people to shape the narratives of tomorrow. As artists, educators, cultural practitioners, and advocates, we answer that call by ensuring that the voices of young people remain at the centre of our work.
We celebrate the work of theatre-makers in responding to the legacy of 1976 with deep insight, creativity and thoughtfulness. Rise 1976, by writer/director Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni, now playing at the Market Theatre, is one such piece and should be seen by every young person wanting to understand the past and its continuing influence on today.
50 Years Later: The Legacy Of 1976
Fifty years ago, young people stood together and changed the course of history.
Today, a new generation faces different challenges, including unemployment and economic inequality, lack of access to quality education, the emergencies created by climate change, challenges with mental wellness and social cohesion, rapid digital transformation and technological evolution.
The question before us is “how can theatre help young people navigate the future while remaining rooted in the lessons of the past”? To engage this question, we need creativity, dialogue, imagination, and collective action.
The youth of 1976 demanded to be heard and the youth of 2026 continue that legacy, through innovation, creativity, activism, and artistic expression. At ASSITEJ SA, we believe that every child and young person deserves opportunities to dream, create, perform, and lead and so we work to make that possible. The future is calling.
Theatre is a rehearsal for life and creating conducive environments for the arts, through initiatives like “Art Rich Schools” helps children and young people access these opportunities to reset the future. Using the arts and theatre, young people can imagine new possibilities for society, explore identity and belonging, challenge injustice and champion advocacy, build empathy and understanding and develop leadership and confidence.
Through Theatre for Young Audiences, ASSITEJ SA continues to create opportunities for children and youth to tell their stories and engage with the issues that matter most to them, because the future is not something that simply happens to young people, but rather it is something that they help create.
Throughout June, members are encouraged to host performances, readings, dialogues, and creative interventions that respond to the theme: “Reset @ 50: The Future Calls.”
Stay connected
Share your productions, projects, opportunities, and success stories with us on info@assitej.org.za and/or join us by filling out a membership form here: https://assitejza.agilecrm.com/forms/5441459512213504
RESET @ 50 1976–2026
“The courage of yesterday. The creativity of today. The possibilities of tomorrow.”
ASSITEJ South Africa: Championing Theatre for Young Audiences
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