Parliament, Monday, 19 June 2023 – As part of celebrating the 2023 Youth Month, Parliament will be launching a nation-wide Youth Innovation Exhibition drive to celebrate young innovators through a series of initiatives to showcase youth innovation.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, will on Tuesday 20 June, launch the hybrid exhibition sessions of dialogue on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to be attended by various key stakeholders including Members of the Executive, industry giants, academic institutions as well as Members of Parliament.
The sessions, to be held under the theme: “Celebrating Youth Innovation in the “4IR” and Beyond”, will consist of country-wide information sharing sessions and awareness activations and will rotate amongst the country’s nine provinces. During the launch on Tuesday, a presentation by young innovators (pupils) from various high schools is scheduled.
Whilst the world is on the brink of a 5th and 6th revolution, South Africa continues to face challenges such as poverty, hunger, and just everyday survival for many of our people. It is therefore important that Parliament acts with urgency, to exploit these new technologies in favour of the poor and destitute.
South Africa, as one of the leading nations in the Continent, plans to optimise its strengths, leapfrog to technology convergence, and enhance its manufacturing capacity, while mobilising every segment of society nationally, in the region, in the continent and across the world to spearhead human development. These sessions will provide an opportunity for young innovators, the three-spheres of government, and industry players to harness existing skills and to optimize the potential locked among young people.
Young people make up more than a third of the population, with those within the age group of 15-34 years constituting 34.7% of the population (2020 Stats SA Midterm Population Survey). With almost half of our population consisting of young and creative minds, South Africa must focus on the role of young people in promoting the 4th Industrial Revolution to curb unemployment and drive innovation.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation will deliver a keynote address during the Youth Exhibition launch.
DETAILS OF THE 4IR YOUTH INNOVATION LAUNCH ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Date: Tuesday 20 June 2023
Time: 10.00 - 15.00
Venue: Good Hope Chamber, Parliament and virtual platform
Media wishing to physically attend the 4IR Launch should send their details (full name, name of media house, ID or passport number) to Mr Mlindi Mpindi at mmpindi@parliament.gov.za.
Members of the media who wish to observe the hybrid sitting on a virtual platform should forward their contact details to Mr Mlindi Mpindi on mmpindi@parliament.gov.za for inclusion in the Parliament Communications Service WhatsApp group, where login details will be shared. Journalists must forward their requests using their official email addresses (no private emails).
Members of the public may follow the virtual engagement live on Parliament TV (DSTV Channel 408), via live stream on Parliament YouTube channel and Twitter page on the links below. You may subscribe to the Parliament YouTube channel to receive instant notification of live feeds.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParliamentofRSA
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ParliamentofRSA
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ParliamentofRSA
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo
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