Date: 15/08/2003
Source: Department of Education
Title: Asmal: Beyers Naude Memorial Lecture Dinner
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, AT THE BEYERS NAUDE MEMORIAL LECTURE DINNER, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 15 August 2003
Distinguished and honourable guests, it is indeed an honour to be the speaker at this moving occasion in honour of a South African veteran of our struggle for freedom against apartheid. It is however a challenging task, given the quality of the lecture series that was launched today. But I accepted the invitation without hesitation because Beyers Naude is a very special person in the history of our country.
During the long years of oppression, as many of us know, Dr Beyers Naude, lived a life of ostracism, harassment, and under various forms of banning orders for his efforts to end apartheid. This was a courageous step for a man of his generation, his heritage and his time, particularly during the repressive 1960s when apartheid policy was brutally enforced. For those of us in exile, and even those in prison, we had the benefit of regular contact with like-minded, progressive people, who would support and strengthen our will. But Beyers Naude had none of this - at least not from his community. Fortunately, he would have known then that his efforts were not in vain - that they were indeed appreciated and valued by so many.
Despite rejection by some of his closest friends and colleagues, Beyers Naude remained a protagonist for bridging the gap between white and black, between rich and poor in the struggle against apartheid. His life is a tribute to resistance against injustice, from wherever it comes, and an inspiration for the need to instil the kind of values enshrined in our Constitution. And among our youth and the many generations to come, he has provided a lead for what needs to be done in order to attain and sustain justice and freedom in South Africa.
South Africa has captured the imagination of the world in the way it has successfully managed the politics of dialogue, of which Beyers Naude was an integral part. In this, he has contributed to the "new patriotism", as Nelson Mandela has called it, and to what I call "the glue that holds us together". This is no battle against a common enemy, but a quest for a common destiny. This is beautifully reflected in South Africa's official motto, "!ke e: /xarra //ke" - our unity is to be found in the very diversity of our nation. Real dialogue is one of the values most desired and yet most lacking in South African society. We must "liberate the imagination", in the words of Edward Said, and also "educate the imagination", in the words of Es'kia Mphahlele, as part of this journey to our common future.
The study of history is probably one of the most valuable tools we have to achieve these goals. The History and Archaeology Report which we commissioned noted that history helps to expand the imagination by getting people to reflect on their inherited historical consciousness, and to examine past beliefs such as apartheid ideas about race and human stereotypes. These can lead to a greater understanding of why these beliefs and images existed, and why they too often continue to exist. In doing so, we may avoid the repetition of our worst errors.
In my opening remarks at the launch of the Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy of 2000, I said that democratic South Africa was born of a leadership with a very clear vision. From being a nation pitted against itself, we have been brought into the unifying streams of democracy and nation building. The Manifesto is our legacy for young people, the country's future, aimed at developing informed, compassionate and proud South Africans. The National Education Policy Act of 1996, which set the stage for transformation in education, committed the new South Africa to an educational system that would:
* "redress past injustices in educational provision,;
* contribute to the eradication of poverty and the economic well being of our society
* advance the democratic transformation of society;
* combat racism and sexism and all other forms of unfair discrimination and intolerance; and
* protect and advance our diverse cultures and languages."
I think Beyers Naude would approve of these aims, and if we can achieve only some of them, we will have made our contribution to reconstructing this nation. As Minister of Education, I therefore strongly urge and encourage the leaders of top South African companies present here tonight, to make generous financial pledges to the launch of this important school development programme in honour of Dr Beyers Naude. The beneficiaries will include rural schools in each province, with youth leadership and teacher training aimed at building bridges between black and white communities. In building these bridges, may these schools be encouraged by Dr Naude's strong convictions on equality, his huge compassion for the oppressed, and his courage to build a better South Africa. This will go a long way towards making our country a greater success, and one which deservedly holds it head high in the world community.
I thank you.
Source: Department of Education (http://education.pwv.gov.za/)
Source: Department of Education
Title: Asmal: Beyers Naude Memorial Lecture Dinner
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, AT THE BEYERS NAUDE MEMORIAL LECTURE DINNER, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 15 August 2003
Distinguished and honourable guests, it is indeed an honour to be the speaker at this moving occasion in honour of a South African veteran of our struggle for freedom against apartheid. It is however a challenging task, given the quality of the lecture series that was launched today. But I accepted the invitation without hesitation because Beyers Naude is a very special person in the history of our country.
During the long years of oppression, as many of us know, Dr Beyers Naude, lived a life of ostracism, harassment, and under various forms of banning orders for his efforts to end apartheid. This was a courageous step for a man of his generation, his heritage and his time, particularly during the repressive 1960s when apartheid policy was brutally enforced. For those of us in exile, and even those in prison, we had the benefit of regular contact with like-minded, progressive people, who would support and strengthen our will. But Beyers Naude had none of this - at least not from his community. Fortunately, he would have known then that his efforts were not in vain - that they were indeed appreciated and valued by so many.
Despite rejection by some of his closest friends and colleagues, Beyers Naude remained a protagonist for bridging the gap between white and black, between rich and poor in the struggle against apartheid. His life is a tribute to resistance against injustice, from wherever it comes, and an inspiration for the need to instil the kind of values enshrined in our Constitution. And among our youth and the many generations to come, he has provided a lead for what needs to be done in order to attain and sustain justice and freedom in South Africa.
South Africa has captured the imagination of the world in the way it has successfully managed the politics of dialogue, of which Beyers Naude was an integral part. In this, he has contributed to the "new patriotism", as Nelson Mandela has called it, and to what I call "the glue that holds us together". This is no battle against a common enemy, but a quest for a common destiny. This is beautifully reflected in South Africa's official motto, "!ke e: /xarra //ke" - our unity is to be found in the very diversity of our nation. Real dialogue is one of the values most desired and yet most lacking in South African society. We must "liberate the imagination", in the words of Edward Said, and also "educate the imagination", in the words of Es'kia Mphahlele, as part of this journey to our common future.
The study of history is probably one of the most valuable tools we have to achieve these goals. The History and Archaeology Report which we commissioned noted that history helps to expand the imagination by getting people to reflect on their inherited historical consciousness, and to examine past beliefs such as apartheid ideas about race and human stereotypes. These can lead to a greater understanding of why these beliefs and images existed, and why they too often continue to exist. In doing so, we may avoid the repetition of our worst errors.
In my opening remarks at the launch of the Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy of 2000, I said that democratic South Africa was born of a leadership with a very clear vision. From being a nation pitted against itself, we have been brought into the unifying streams of democracy and nation building. The Manifesto is our legacy for young people, the country's future, aimed at developing informed, compassionate and proud South Africans. The National Education Policy Act of 1996, which set the stage for transformation in education, committed the new South Africa to an educational system that would:
* "redress past injustices in educational provision,;
* contribute to the eradication of poverty and the economic well being of our society
* advance the democratic transformation of society;
* combat racism and sexism and all other forms of unfair discrimination and intolerance; and
* protect and advance our diverse cultures and languages."
I think Beyers Naude would approve of these aims, and if we can achieve only some of them, we will have made our contribution to reconstructing this nation. As Minister of Education, I therefore strongly urge and encourage the leaders of top South African companies present here tonight, to make generous financial pledges to the launch of this important school development programme in honour of Dr Beyers Naude. The beneficiaries will include rural schools in each province, with youth leadership and teacher training aimed at building bridges between black and white communities. In building these bridges, may these schools be encouraged by Dr Naude's strong convictions on equality, his huge compassion for the oppressed, and his courage to build a better South Africa. This will go a long way towards making our country a greater success, and one which deservedly holds it head high in the world community.
I thank you.
Source: Department of Education (http://education.pwv.gov.za/)
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