The Nelson Mandela Foundation will be marking the month of Africa Day with a dialogue and the launch of the photographic exhibition, On the Frontline, at the Foundation’s Centre of Memory on 7 May. These events take place at a time when South Africa is experiencing violence directed against people perceived to be foreigners. At its heart this phenomenon constitutes a terrible failure of memory. We believe it is timely to remind South Africans of their indebtedness to the peoples of neighbouring countries and the many other African countries that supported our struggle for liberation. The dialogue (10h00-17h00) will be co-convened by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.
Titled Taking responsibility: Finding sustainable solutions to xenophobia, the dialogue will bring together participants from many sectors as a first intervention by the Foundation designed to contribute towards ridding South Africa of this scourge. Starting at 10h00, the proceedings will move from a wide-ranging discussion of the deeper causal factors into exploration of particular themes, including business, the political terrain, and the media.
Dialogue on xenophobia and launch of On the Frontline exhibition is curated by Ingrid Sinclair and Simon Bright and acknowledges the role played by South Africa’s neighbouring countries in the struggle against apartheid. These countries suffered profoundly as they provided frontline support to South Africa’s liberation movements. The apartheid regime destabilized them, supporting rebel groups, destroying infrastructure, undertaking raids, and in one instance embarking on full-scale military invasion. Some of these countries organized formally in association as "the frontline states", with President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania as chair. Speakers at the launch (beginning at 19h00) will include Mrs Graça Machel, Mr Max Sisulu, Professor Njabulo Ndebele and the exhibition curators.
The Foundation believes that the challenge confronting all who live in South Africa is to do the hard work of both remembering damaging pasts and making liberatory futures.
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