Programme Director
Ms Ela Gandhi, the recipient of the 2008 Community Service Award and our guest speaker this evening
Director of the Turquoise Harmony Institute in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Atilla Dag
The District Mayor of UMgungundlovu Municipality, Mr Yusuf Bamjee
Honourable Member of the Executive Council for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Senzo Mchunu, MPP
Distinguished recipients of the Dialogue Awards
Representatives of cultural organisations and the business sector
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
I greet you all.
I am delighted to be part of this important function in the calendar of the Turquoise Harmony Institute (THI). I am equally humbled to speak on behalf of the recipients of the Dialogue Awards this evening and to handover the Education Award to the Honourable Member of the Executive Council for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Senzo Mchunu.
Only last month, on 18 February 2012, our Department of Higher Education and Training, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and other stakeholders hosted an Education Indaba in Ulundi, in this province of KwaZulu-Natal. The purpose of the Education Indaba was to bring career guidance information and post-school opportunities directly to our learners in rural communities. It was also to motivate them to realise their potential through education as citizens of this country.
I am mentioning this because I want to highlight the importance of education in our society and how spheres of government work tirelessly together to ensure that the conditions that breed inequality and human indignity are eliminated. Our shared vision is that education is central to the social cohesion programmes of Government. Our policy as a department is to ensure that no learner is excluded from education on the basis of race, class, gender, HIV and AIDS, geography and disability.
We have improved the capacity of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme in colleges and universities. We have also used the National Skills Fund to support projects that address unemployment and underdevelopment in communities. We have recently injected R3.8 billion rands to address student accommodation in our 22 universities. From that amount, R743 million will go to historically disadvantaged universities.
I am equally pleased to hear that as the Turquoise Harmony Institute, you have established the Horizon Educational Trust. The Trust is operating four schools in
Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town and those schools have produced good Matric results (continuous 100% passes) and did well in National and International Olympiads. As an Institute, you have also extended your assistance to less fortunate members of the community by providing food parcels. That is highly commendable, especially during this time of global economic recession.
The Meaning Of Ubuntu In The Context Of Education And Nation-Building Central to the philosophy of UBUNTU is the peaceful coexistence of people on earth and the active appreciation of the value of human difference. As citizens and members of the international community we must work together in building learning communities that continuously strive for the elimination of poverty, ignorance and inequality.
In the context of South Africa, we need to ensure that there is quality education and opportunities for all citizens. History has proved to us that poverty and lack of opportunities for citizens, particularly the youth, can erode the ideals of building open societies and democracies based on social justice, equality and equity. Of equal importance, we need to build bridges between religions and cultures. That cannot be achieved without an inclusive education system that embraces diversity. I would say as a country, we have made significant strides in this regard.
The South African schools are integrated as no one can be excluded on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, class or gender. Our institutions of higher learning are cosmopolitan as we have scholars and students from different parts of the world. South Africa is supporting students from the SADC region through the SADC Protocol on Education and Training. That is why we have students from Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in our tertiary institutions. UNISA, our longdistance comprehensive university has students all over the world.
Our education system is based on the constitutional values of non-racism, non-sexism, democracy, social justice and equality. These are universal values that transcend linguistic and cultural differences. Shared value system In order for us to develop a shared value system we need to nurture and sustain dialogues between diverse cultural groups in our country. Our Constitution already serves as a point of reference as it embraces cultural rights and diversity. We need to use dialogues to promote a deeper understanding of the human condition. The ideas that emerge from the dialogues should be used to develop strategies aimed at resolving the challenges we face as diverse societies.
We also need to redouble our efforts in fighting violet behaviour in societies, substance abuse and genderbased violence. All sectors of our society; education, the arts, media, business and community activists should use various available platforms to counter destructive messages and actions that trample on human dignity (ubuntu).
Message to the recipients of the Dialogue Awards.
Honourable MEC for Education, Mr Senzo Mchunu, ladies and gentlemen,
Looking at past and present recipients of the Dialogue Awards, I have noted that these are indeed prestigious awards. Previous recipients of the Gulen Peace Award include Ahmed Kathrada, former political prisoner and comrade to Nelson Mandela (2010) and Dr Frene Ginwala (2011), the former Speaker of the National Assembly, His Eminence Cardinal Napier (2011, Interfaith Award), Dr John Kani (2010, Arts Award), Ela Gandhi (2008, CommunityService Award) and Narandan ‘Jody’ Kollapen (2010, Human Rights Award), to mention a few.
I am delighted that the Honourable MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Senzo Mchunu is a recipient of the Education Award. Mr Mchunu has worked selflessly for education, peace and unity in this province, as a political leader in the ruling African National Congress, as well as a public representative and MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal. His vision is that of improving the quality of education and the lives of learners in our schools. His portfolio also involves social cohesion as there can be no effective schooling in our communities without the involvement of stakeholders with a common vision.
As you stand here, you have been selected for your outstanding and selfless service to the cause of humanity. You have immensely contributed to human progress in your different spheres and society perceives you as role models, mentors and innovators. You have embraced the philosophical teachings of the great Turkish scholar, Fethullah Gulen, that education and dialogue can promote understanding and peace between different peoples and it can also banish ignorance. In your spheres of life, you have established “islands of peace”, in line with the vision of Fethullah Gulen!
Our children and the citizenry in general need role models that can guide them in their search of what it means to be human. The Dialogue Awards should serve as an inspiration and encourage all of us to do more for our communities. That is the essence of UBUNTU! I also wish to extend my congratulations and good wishes to Rev Frank Chikane for receiving the Interfaith Award, Mr Ashraf Garda, for the Media Award, Prof Ahmed Bawa, for the Academia Award and Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, for the Community Service Award. Well done for the sterling work! You are the shining lights, and this country is proud of you!
Conclusion
Let me conclude by thanking members of the Turkish community in South Africa and the Turquoise Harmony Institute for engaging in developmental projects in this country. Ours was not only a struggle against apartheid, but a strug gle for a non-racial and non-sexist society based on universal human rights. It was a struggle with a strong international dimension that valued education, dialogue and peaceful co-existence.
Working together, we can do more!
Thank you.
