Programme Director
Education Africa CEO: James Urdang & Senior Management
Robben Island Representatives
Mr Vic Van Vuuren: Director ILO Office, Pretoria
Mr Albert Geldenhuys: Deputy Director: Talent Management: DIRCO
Ms Kai Crooks-Chissano: Executive Coach
Mr Brooks Spector: Associate Editor Daily Maverick
Ms Stephanie Urdang: Freelance Writer, Rwandan Gift for Life, Inc. Learners
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed an honour and privilege to be part of the 2015 South African Model United Nations (SAMUN) International Conference Prize Giving Luncheon.
I am glad that this event coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter and it even more significant that it is held on the Robben Island. The Freedom Charter unambiguously declared that, “The Doors of Learning and Culture Shall be opened!” It further unequivocally said, “Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children”.
This project therefore brings to the fore the key issues that this country, and indeed, the World must confront honestly and openly. It is an honour to be involved in an initiative such as this one which ensures that our learners get an opportunity to participate in the Model United Nations (UN) debating competition.
This event also occurs weeks after the UN celebrated its 70th anniversary. The United Nations as we know it - is an international organisation founded in 1945. In the main, the UN exists to promote international cooperation, advance human rights and work towards achieving peace and security across all corners of the globe. It is currently made up of 193 Member States.
The 70th anniversary was celebrated under the theme, “The United Nations at 70 the road ahead for peace, security and human rights”.
Indeed, the theme is timely and relevant to the current global challenges facing the World today. The World has no need for the religious zealots who would seek to acquire political power by slaughtering the innocents as do the butchers of the people of Syria, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Turkey, Sudan and other hotpots around the globe.
The World must have no patience with those pseudo-leaders whose only ambition is to cling to positions of power through means that are neither fair nor just. We all know that once the acquisition of power is achieved at all costs, it will used to enslave the masses while serving the narrow interests of the tin-pot dictator, and his few connected elites.
We must say enough and no more!
We owe posterity a World at peace with itself, where a Gild Child can walk tall in the streets assured that the rhythm of music in her heart will not be silenced by warlords, whose only preoccupation is bloodletting.
In the 21st century, the peoples of the World must rebel against those who want to speak to one another in the deadly language of bazooka and mortar shells. The fearsome rhythm of the beat of machine-gun fire must be replaced by the power of reason and dialogue.
Programme Director; it is within this context the major themes for South African Model United Nations (SAMUN) International Conference include human rights, poverty alleviation, environmental affairs, peace and security issues amongst others. These matters are at the core of the work and mission of the United Nations. It is therefore opportune for young learners to have an honest discussion around these global challenges that seek to undo the gains of the globalised world in the last 70 odd years.
As the Department of Basic Education, we would like to congratulate Education Africa and their United Nations partners for organising yet another successful session of Model United Nations. As the department, we are proud to be a part of such initiatives aimed at instilling the culture of dialogue in resolving matters of national and global importance.
This platform has allowed for all learners to voice their views and opinions regarding such important matters such as protecting cultural artefacts/heritage sites and International Criminal Court (ICC).
It is important that while we jealously guard our political freedom, we also must pay special attention to the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens. These rights are just as important and must equally be protected. Protecting cultural artefacts and heritage sites is an important aspect of protecting cultural rights. History and heritage is important because it informs who we are today. It also serves as a reminder of where we come from, where our customs and religions come from.
In this regard the pillaging of cultural artefacts and historical monuments in Iraq must be condemned in strongest terms possible.
At home, we must also rebel against those who seek to undo the project of reconciliation through the wonton destruction of colonial/apartheid symbols. These are as important as the mainstream libertarian symbols that have risen since the dawn of democracy 21 years ago. The respect of colonial/apartheid symbols in whatever manner or form is central to our national covenant to forge a new nation, equal before the law and united in its diversity. As the founding President of the new South Africa uTata Nelson Mandela said:
“Reconciliation is central to that vision that moved millions of men and women to risk all, including their lives, in the struggle against apartheid… It is inseparable from the achievement of a non-racial, democratic and united nation affording common citizenship, rights and obligations to each and every person, and respecting the rich diversity of our people.” (Special Debate on the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), 25 February 1999)
I hope that the several debates you’ve had on “protecting cultural artefacts and heritage sites” have revealed to you some of the many questions that we constantly grapple with both as a Government and as a people. We cannot overstate the importance of cultural preservation. Not only is this important for us today, but also for posterity.
In essence, understanding and valuing cultural diversity are the keys to countering racism, misogyny and male chauvinism. All individuals must feel free to explore the uniqueness of their culture and identity while developing understandings of the cultural diversity that exists in the world around them. Denying cultural expression means limiting the expression of unique perspectives on life and the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation.
In the same vein, as the basic education sector, we have resolved on the Incremental Introduction of African Languages in all our schools by 2016. This is part of the effort to forge ahead with the mission of cementing social cohesion. The foremost UN agency for us in the education sector, namely UNESCO summed up the importance of languages thus:
"Understanding others makes possible a better knowledge of oneself: any form of identity is complex, for individuals are defined in relation to other people - both individually and collectively - and the various groups to which they owe allegiance, in a constantly shifting pattern." (UNESCO, Learning: The Treasure Within, 1996)
Programme Director; I want to restate my appreciation that the Prize Giving Ceremony is taking place in this historic place, namely the Robben Island. Seeing that you were debating about cultural artefacts preservation, you must have some appreciation for the very place you are at today. Consider yourselves privileged for visiting Robben Island and for participating in this debate.
This place today serves as a tourist attraction, yet just 24 years ago it served as a maximum security prison for political prisoners, three of which became South Africa’s presidents and many of them becoming leaders in government, business and civil society. There is no South Africa today, without the Robben Island, for it forms an integral part of our rich South African history.
Programme Director; the second theme for this year’s debate is of course the thorny matter of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The attendance of the Sudanese President, Mr. Omar Al-Bashir at the 25th African Union Summit has sparked fresh debate about the role, nature and form of the ICC in the context of international law.
The ICC, established in 1998 and officially launched 2002, is an international tribunal that has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for international crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC has been on the spotlight, for the situations and cases that it has been investigating, most of which involve African countries.
Of course South Africa remains committed to the pursuance of international justice and the rule of law, but as you might have heard, we have lost confidence in the current regime of the Rome Statues that give rise to the ICC. It is our undertaking that we must continue to engage with like-minded nations to forge ahead with a new regime that will seek to prevent genocide and prosecute those guilty of war crimes. We refuse to throw away the baby with dirty bath water.
As young, bright minds sitting in this gathering, you have experienced first-hand, the kind of issues and debate that this session of the South African Model United Nations (SAMUN) International Conference has focussed on. You have researched and prepared, zooming into your countries of representation on their specific stance on these issues.
South Africa needs such great minds to zoom into both the local and global challenges in-order to find workable solutions. The country will soon rely on the many young leaders in this room to deal with challenges affecting this country, the African continent and the World. The Education Africa is grooming you and harnessing your potential in becoming South Africa’s greatest minds.
Some of you will become diplomats and represent South Africa in international fora; you will be responsible for explaining South Africa’s position and the reasons behind decisions made by the leadership. I hope this experience has taught you the difficulty many countries face in making unpopular decisions.
I want to congratulate all of you, for the sterling job that you did in the debates.
I also want to encourage you to keep debating for this is how you explore each other’s views and further develop your own understanding of the World.
I once again, thank the organisers of this event for allowing young people to debate these important global issues.
I thank you.
