South Africa’s National Freedom Day and Heritage Day were celebrated with a reception held at Divan Hotel. South African dance and music groups added color to the reception with their performances.
Besra Yuksel
The reception was hosted by Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, Ambassador of South Africa to Ankara. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmet Kemal Bozay, as well as many foreign mission representatives and guests, attended the event. In his speech, Ambassador Duba emphasized the relations between Turkey and South Africa and said, “South Africans and Turkish people stand out because of their rich culture and respect for their history. In this respect, today, in the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, we are privileged to be celebrating both our history and heritage in Turkey.” Stating that South Africans voted for the first time in 1994, Ambassador Duba said, “South Africans have chosen a world in which a diverse and united human race lives in harmony to advance admirable ideals for the liberation of the African people and continent.” Deputy Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay stated that South Africa showed great solidarity during the February 6 earthquakes and said that the two countries are friends and allies in many fields.
