Grahamstown Foundation - 1820 Settlers National Monument

The Grahamstown Foundation is a non-profit South African company that manages a wide variety of projects, including the National Arts Festival, SciFest Africal, the National Schools Festivals and eight regional schools Festivals, the English Olympiad, the Eisteddfod, Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa and the Village Green Fair.

The Foundation also administers the 1820 Settlers National Monument which is both a national heritage institution and a conference and functions venue.

Amid reminders of the past, the Foundation encourages the principles and ideals of the South African constitution.

More than a quarter of a million people, from all cultural backgrounds, use the building each year.

The enrichment of arts, culture and education helps build a common South African culture. Thus, through encouraging freedom of speech and social interaction, the Grahamstown Foundation has long played a vital role in the new democracy emerging in South Africa.

The fire in 1994 devastated the Monument... but the projects and Festivals were able to continue. This showed that the projects had a strength of their own and proved that the original concept of creating a "living monument" was sound.