Your Excellencies,
Distinguished guests.
We request you to please remain standing as we observe a moment of silent prayer or meditation.
As we do so let us also think of the families and loved ones of those brave South African soldiers who were killed or wounded while conducting themselves with honour and heroism in the Central African Republic.
I thank you.
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Boa noite ou, se permittam, Oi!
Dobrey vecher,
Namaskar,
Wan-sang-how,
Sanibonani,
Bon soirAs-salam alaykum
Good evening and welcome to South Africa!
My name is Andries Nel, I am the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development of South Africa.
I will be your Programme Director this evening. I will be bringing a culture of law to the proceedings. On behalf of the President, it is my honour to welcome you to this beautiful and vibrant city of Durban in the eThekwini Municipality.
Thank you for joining us.
This is a city where people of many languages, cultures and religions work together to build a better life for all. It is a city that shows that South Africa is a nation united in its diversity.
Excellencies,
Tomorrow you start the 5th BRICS Summit under the theme:
"BRICS and AFRICA: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation."
You will be discussing many important matters aimed at improving the lives of our people. But tonight we want you to sit back, relax and enjoy yourselves as you experience partnership, development, integration and industrialisation of a different kind.
We want you to listen to the partnership that results from a Chinese conductor conducting a South African orchestra as they play a Russian opera. We want you to enjoy the development that occurs when South Africans draw on tradition to compose the future and fuse Indian and African dances.
We want you to experience the industry that springs from South Africans dancing Samba. We trust that you will enjoy this evening.
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
I will leave you in the hands of Mr Peter Ndoro and Ms Desiree Chauke who will be the Sherpas of tonight's Cultural Summit.
Cultural programme
Wow! I think that was magnificent.
Mr President, after tonight, I am confident that at the end of this BRICS Summit we will be able to say that those who arrived on our shores as guests will leave as brothers and sisters of the people of South Africa and indeed of the African Continent.
After the Summit there will be a retreat of African Leaders and BRICS leaders under the theme, “Unlocking Africa’s potential: BRICS and Africa Cooperation on Infrastructure.
We hope that this important gathering will draw inspiration from the motto of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal which is: "Masisukume Sakhe - Let Us Stand Up and Build!"
Muito obrigado!
Spasibo Bol'shoye!
Danyahwad!
Si-ye Si-ye!
Siyabonga kakhulu!
Merci beaucoup!
Shukran!
Thank you very much!
