National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mqhele Dlodlo, has urged young Zimbabweans to learn the country’s liberation history, warning that forgetting the past could leave future generations vulnerable to repeating the mistakes that ensnared their ancestors.
Speaking at the Heroes’ Day Photographic Exhibition at the univeristy on Monday, Prof Dlodlo said preserving historical memory was essential to safeguarding Zimbabwe’s national identity.
“People who don’t know their history fall back into the same trap that may have entrapped their ancestors. Never forget that. Zimbabwe’s liberation history should remain central to the country’s identity because independence was won through sacrifice. Any nation founded through a liberation struggle must never forget that part of its history,” he said.
He noted that as the Heroes’ Day commemorations draw closer, it is important to remember that these days are more than a national holiday, but are a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by the sons and daughters of the soil who gave the freedom to education and to stand as sovereign people.
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“Memory is fragile. If it is not nurtured, it fades. If not preserved, it is lost. And when memory is lost, identity weakens. This exhibition’s theme, Lest We Forget, serves as a warning against allowing historical memory to fade. This exhibition is a deliberate effort to ensure the story of Zimbabwe’s liberation remains alive, accessible and meaningful to future generations,” Prof Dlodlo said.
“The collaboration between NUST’s Department of Information Management and Archival Science and the Department of Journalism and Media Studies demonstrates how universities can combine heritage preservation with modern media to make history more accessible.
“Through curated photographs, documentary film, live streaming and student engagement, we are ensuring that the story of liberation is not confined to textbooks but is experienced, felt and internalised.”
Addressing schoolchildren attending the exhibition, Prof Dlodlo urged them to see themselves as custodians of the country’s history.
“History is not abstract. It is not a tale. It is lived, it is felt, it is carried in the memories of those who fought and it is passed down to you as the next generation,” he said.
“By engaging with these photographs, by listening to these stories, you are inheriting a legacy. And with that inheritance comes responsibility to remember, to honour and to carry forward the values of courage, unity and sacrifice.”
Dlodlo said universities had a duty to preserve national heritage while embracing innovative ways of communicating history.
“As the Vice-Chancellor, I reaffirm NUST’s commitment to fostering scholarship that honors our past while shaping our future. I want to reiterate that at the end of the day, this exhibition, what you see, experience and feel here, must reside in your memories. Because if it doesn’t reach there, then it is a waste,” he said.
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