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17 July 2020
Birthday Wishes to the King of the Kingdom of Lesotho:
17 July marks the birthday of King of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Motlotlehi
Letsie III. The MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Mrs
Limakatso Mahasa, extends her best wishes to the King, Rabasotho, on this
special day.
The cultural and linguistic umbilical cord that connects Basotho in Lesotho
and the Free State is historical and undisputable. This historical connection
has been sustained into modern times through various initiatives and ties
at the level of national and provincial government. The Free State
Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, has over the years
implemented the following programmes which embodies the spirit of
partnership between Basotho on both side of the border:
• Basotho New Year celebration is staged in Qwa Qwa annually on
the 1
st
of August as a celebration of Basotho culture and history. This
celebration is consistently graced by Basotho from Lesotho on an
annual basis;
• The Use of Free State Official Languages Act of 2003 recognizes
Sesotho as the most spoken language and thus the first official
language of the Free State;
• Basotho Cultural Village (BCV), a living museum in Qwa Qwa,
was established as a reservoir for the preservation of Basotho
culture, traditions and history. This institution is a tourist attraction
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and attracts a high number of tourists from different parts of the
globe; and
• Sporting events such as the International Cross-Border Mountain
Cycling is graced by cyclists from both sides of the border.
As we celebrate this special day of the descendent of the pioneer of the
Baotho Nation, Morena Moshoeshoe wa Basotho, as the Free State we
pride ourselves for continuing to carry and promote the legacy and heritage
of this Nation through the above and various other initiatives.
“O hole empa o seke wa kgokgoba Rabasotho! Continue to lead your
Nation with pride and dignity and may the Basotho Nation prosper under
your guidance and wisdom”, stated MEC Limakatso Mahasa.
END.
Issued by the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation
(DSACR)
Enquiries:
Tankiso Zola
Director: Communication and IT
Cell: 082 940 2392
Tel: Tel: 051 – 410 4735/4821
Email: [email protected]
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