The year 2023 marks the 10th year of the Golden Shield Heritage Awards (GOSHA) – an initiative of the National Heritage Council of South Africa. The awards aim to recognise excellence in the heritage sector. The GOSHA are the only premium gesture of rewarding the heritage activists, practitioners and citizen for their relentless dedication to protect, promote and preserve the heritage of the people of South Africa.
The GOSHA were hosted in various provinces in partnership with the provincial departments of sport, arts and culture as well as other stakeholders. To date, the GOSHA has been hosted in the Free State, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo. Western Cape province will be the host of the awards on their 10th anniversary. This remarkable milestone opens a new chapter for the awards and their future by welcoming partnerships that will grow the initiative to a continental level.
In this manner, the NHC shows gratitude and takes pride in people who continuously contribute selflessly to the preservation, interpretation and promotion of South Africa’s rich cultural heritage.
The awards were motivated by the rationale that heritage plays a significant role in promoting social cohesion and community development. Awards such as these, therefore, give acknowledgement and expose the depth of the South African Heritage which is unique and diverse.
If you are one of the many passionate people and dedicated organisations that are doing exceptional work in heritage and culture, the National Heritage Council encourages you to participate. The awards are inclusive and welcomes all communities, professional organisations, groups, civil society, entities and individuals who are playing a role in the promotion and preservation of our cultural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.
