Cape Town - The City and the mayor of Cape Town are calling on residents to nominate everyday heroines, heroes or organisations for the 2023 Civic Honours.
The office of mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that nominations for Civic Honours 2023 are now officially open.
Civic honours are awards conferred by the City of Cape Town and the mayor to individuals or organisations to acknowledge them for their distinguished acts of service, outstanding contributions to the broader city community, personal sacrifice and contributions to building the nation throughout the year.
The awards are conferred in the following four competitive categories – the Freedom of the City, the Mayor’s Medal, Freedom of Entry into the City and Signing of the Civic Honours Book.
The Freedom of the City category is the City’s highest and most prestigious award, bestowed only rarely upon individuals, military units or organisations that have distinguished themselves exceptionally and brought global acclaim to Cape Town.
Examples of Freemen of the City include former president and Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
The Mayor’s Medal is another prestigious award which acknowledges outstanding contributions that individuals or associations have made voluntarily in several different fields, including community service, arts, social services, youth affairs, recreation and sport, conservation, economic affairs, animal welfare and extraordinary bravery.
The Freedom of Entry into the City award is given to military units to recognise outstanding service given to their country and city. Military units that receive this honour may march through the streets of Cape Town during all ceremonial and other occasions with “swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying”.
The signing of the Civic Honours Book is an invitation to sign or inscribe one’s name against a citation of his or her achievement in the Civic Honours Book.
The book is kept by the City for future generations to remember Cape Town’s greatest citizens.
A Civic Honour may be conferred on a living person or in memory of a deceased person. All nominations must be presented in writing, motivating for the honour to be bestowed and include adequate motivation, according to the City.
To submit your nomination, email [email protected] on or before December 15.
For more information on the Civic Honours please visit www.capetown.gov.za/CivicHonours