Outward Bound International Convention held in Cape Town
15 October 2006
Theme: 'Being inspired by South Africa and Africa (Lessons from our journey,
our history, our cultures, our processes)'
International representatives of Outward Bound,
Representatives of Outward Bound South Africa,
Honoured guests and friends gathered here today
It is indeed a great pleasure and an honour for me to address you this
morning and open this Outward Bound International Convention. Of course, at my
age, it is also a privilege to address people who are far younger than I am,
but who have a purpose in life - young people who are prepared to make a
positive difference in their own life and in the lives of other people. This
spirit of humanness is highly commendable. This is what we refer to as 'Ubuntu'
in South Africa.
I am particularly grateful to Don MacRobert who shared with me the amazing
story of Outward Bound. I must confess that prior to meeting Don I was not
aware of the existence of this great organisation that is doing such
outstanding work in our country and in the world. I would like to especially
thank Outward Bound International for affording our country the opportunity to
host the convention. It is the first such convention held on South African soil
and we feel extremely privileged.
Many of you probably know the history of Outward Bound International much
better than I. You will recall that Outward Bound International took a decision
of great moral consciousness not operate in South Africa during the apartheid
years when the people of this country were living under the most brutal
discriminatory and oppressive laws. I believe that was a wise decision that was
guided by the ethics and morals which Outward Bound aims to inculcate in our
young people all over the world today. Outward Bound took a stand against the
injustices of an oppressive system of apartheid which systematically ruined the
lives of many young people.
The apartheid system was characterised by an inferior education system for
Africans, the segregation of people according to the colour of their skin, poor
living conditions and limited or no career opportunities for people who were
classified as non-whites. The majority of the population was dehumanised, so to
speak. Outward Bound would, therefore, never have been able to operate under
such inhuman conditions.
It was only in 1994, when we attained our freedom and all discriminatory
laws were abolished, that Outward Bound South Africa was established. This year
we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Constitution and Bill of Rights,
which is regarded as one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world. It
is founded on the values of human dignity, equality, human rights and freedoms
and this is, what I believe, Outward Bound is about.
On behalf of the government of the Republic of South Africa and our Ministry
and Department of Arts and Culture, and, indeed, on behalf of all the people of
this country, I wish to extend a very warm welcome to all our international
guests. Welcome to our beautiful and free South Africa. For those of you who
are visiting our beautiful country for the first time you will, no doubt, agree
that the new South Africa is a far better place to live in and the most
suitable venue for this and future Outward Bound Conventions. You will
experience the warmth and hospitality of the South African people. (Abantu
balapha banobuntu.) The weather conditions are perfect and the natural habitat
is most appropriate for your outdoor adventures and experiential training. I am
certain that the young participants in this programme will have lots of fun.
Wish I was forty years younger!
I am sincerely appreciative of the work that Outward Bound is doing in South
Africa. It complements, to a large extent, the programmes of our own government
which seek to empower the youth of our country. Young people today are faced
with many challenges and I dare say that they are facing much serious
challenges than we did when we were their age. It is, however, heartening to
see how, in a very practical way, through the Outward Bound experience, their
lives are transformed to fulfil their most intimate and most valued dreams.
The mission of Outward Bound is 'to inspire character development and
self-discovery in people of all ages and walks of life through challenge and
adventure, and to impel them to achieve more than they ever thought possible,
to show compassion for others to actively engage in creating a better world'.
These objectives are very much in line with what our own government seeks to
achieve through the programmes of the National Youth Commission and the
National Youth Service.
The vision of the National Youth Commission is the creation of an enabling
environment in which youth can realise their full potential and build a caring
society. Its mandate, therefore, is to co-ordinate, promote and monitor youth
development towards this end. The National Youth Service, which is co-ordinated
by the Presidency, is an overarching programme which engages young people in a
disciplined process of providing a valued and necessary service to the
community in which they live, while increasing their own skills, education and
opportunities to generate income. The National Youth Service promotes greater
civic consciousness among young people and encourages volunteerism. Government
departments provide opportunities for these young people through learnerships,
internships and skills training programmes.
All these initiatives are intended to address the social and economic
challenges facing the youth of our country. Working collaboratively with
Outward Bound South Africa and integrating our programmes would undoubtedly
produce the desired outcome.
I am delighted and very pleased to learn that we have youth participating in
the programmes of Outward Bound South Africa who come from diverse social and
cultural backgrounds. This is a clear demonstration of their resolve to create
a better life for themselves and for others despite the challenges and
constraints that some of them may be confronted with. Some of these young
people come from environments of social deprivation where they are confronted,
on a daily basis, by violence and crime, substance and alcohol abuse, poverty
and unemployment, and diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera and AIDS. To
transcend these challenges our youth need the sort of character development
that Outward Bound focuses on; a programme that will equip them with skills to
take informed decisions that shape the course of their lives.
In traditional societies these formative decisions are aided by transition
rites or rites of passage or initiation. These are important steps which
enhance the formative years of young people, preparing them for the next stage
in life. I regard Outward Bound as a form of transition rite from one stage of
life to the next having been adequately prepared, mentally, physically and
spiritually, to face the world.
Unfortunately, in some parts of our country these traditions have become
increasingly adulterated and sadly our young people are missing out on this
rich cultural heritage. Having read the book written by Alex Hayley titled
'Roots' many years ago, which was based on traditions and values in Gabon, I am
convinced that we should not willy-nilly discard all traditions and cultural
practices. We should identify and retain those traditions and practices that
have sustained our communities over centuries and will further enhance our
culture.
This should, invariably, be underpinned by the philosophy of 'ubuntu'.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu captured the meaning of 'ubuntu' very succinctly when
he said: "Africans have this thing called ubuntu is about the essence of being
human, it is part of the gift that Africa will give the world. It embraces
hospitality, caring about others, being able to go the extra mile for the sake
of others. We believe that a person is a person through another person, that my
humanity is caught up, bound up, inextricably, with yours. When I dehumanise
you, I inexorably dehumanise myself. The solitary human being is a
contradiction in terms and therefore you seek to work for the common good
because your humanity comes into its own, in belonging." This statement
certainly captures the theme and the spirit of this convention. By bringing
young people together and providing them with a platform to share ideas, to
exchange knowledge and best practices and to network, it has embraced this
notion that 'umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu' � 'a person is a person through other
persons.'
The youth of today are the future leaders of our nation. We are pinning our
hopes on them to build a better world. Through endeavours such as Outward
Bound, initiatives by the private sector and other government interventions, we
are hopeful that young people will embrace 'ubuntu' and be encouraged to
transform themselves, their circumstances and become fully actualised citizens
of the world. If we fail to do this we will be failing our future leaders.
I have noted with appreciation that Outward Bound is already partnering with
the National Youth Commission. My assumption is that this partnership will be
extended to encompass the entire National Youth Service and thus impact on a
greater number of young people. Together, we can and must improve the quality
of life of all our people, particularly, our youth who, if unattended, will
become marginal members of our society.
I hope that the sterling work that is done by Outward Bound will reach many
areas in our country which are affected by violence, gangsterism, substance
abuse and alcoholism, starting with this Province. A report of the Medical
Research Council (1997-2004) indicates that the variety of drugs abused and the
burden of drug use is greater in the Western Cape than in other provinces. This
poses a very serious challenge for us as government and for the country as a
whole. How do we, collectively, turn this situation around? The experiential
interventions that Outward Bound uses would be of tremendous value in areas
such as the Western Cape, particularly as there are sometimes few alternatives
that would otherwise constructively utilise the spare time of vulnerable and
impressionable young people.
It is through the identification of the unlimited opportunities that have
opened up for young people in our new democracy that can they harness their
potential and rise above their current circumstances. There are also numerous
opportunities for young people through our bi-national cultural exchange
programmes. Every cultural agreement that we have entered into with other
countries incorporates youth development. These programmes provide
opportunities for youth to visit and to learn about other countries, to share
ideas and network with youth of other countries. It is also very pleasing to
note that across the globe today young people move between cultures with
relative ease, sometimes unhindered by language, as will be the experience at
this convention.
By establishing Outward Bound in South Africa you have certainly made our
work in the Department of Arts and Culture a little easier. The mandate of our
department is to develop and preserve South African culture, to ensure social
cohesion and nation-building. Our department is the custodian of South Africa�s
diverse cultural, artistic and linguistic heritage. The programmes of Outward
Bound complement our work and contribute meaningfully to the goals of
nation-building and social cohesion, particularly in the notion of 'ubuntu,'
which seeks to bring us all together as a people.
Lastly, I would like to suggest that we draw from our valuable traditions to
inspire, in young people, the values that we hold dear. These values include an
appreciation of diversity, inclusivity, love, respect, peace, forgiveness,
reconciliation and most of all, ubuntu. These should be evident in the manner
in which the young people of any nation conduct their lives. These values lay
the foundation for young people to value themselves, their potential and their
bodies. Some of the lessons we learnt as young people should be passed on to
them. So, one of the tasks before us is to encourage the young people of today
to love, respect and appreciate themselves in the same way, as we, their
parents and grandparents, love, respect and appreciate them.
Every participant in this convention should be able to take home some of the
tools which will be provided by the programmes and use them for their
self-development and advancement. It is, from this point onwards, the
collective responsibility of government, the private sector and civil society,
to expand the reach of Outward Bound South Africa. We must begin to integrate
and co-ordinate our work so as to make a marked impact. We must be more focused
and protect that which we value most, the young people of our world by setting
an example as adults and embodying the values we wish them to emulate. As the
great Mahatma Ghandi once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the
world."
I would like to thank all the companies that sponsored this convention,
which include Anglo American, De Beers, African Bank and the National Lottery.
Thank you to Bebe Stetson and also to the Outward Bound International board
Members, Kelly O'Dea, Ben Phillips and Ian Wade for their presence, who have
come all the way from the United States. And to Jacques De Jongh, Dris Naidoo,
Julie Staub, Brenda Addington, Kobus Bester and Don MacRobert, thank you for
organising this event.
Once again, to our international guests, a very warm welcome to South Africa
and all the very best of fortune and success as you continue to do great work.
Have fun and enjoy our South African cuisine � boerwors en styfpap, umngqusho
and snoek, and may you have a very successful convention. God bless.
I now have the privilege and honour to declare this Convention opened.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
15 October 2006
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za)
