Dialogue For Hope – The Young African Leaders Conference
At the end of September 2009 Shikaya hosted Dialogue for Hope – The Young African Leaders Conference in partnership with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. The conference provided the opportunity for dynamic young leaders from a diverse group of schools to gather, together explore what it means to be a democratic leader, and to assess the governance of South Africa and a number of other African countries from the perspective of the youth. View a clip from the conference
The conference focused on the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s highly regarded Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is an African initiative that has been created to stimulate debate on good governance across sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world, and to provide objective criteria by which citizens can hold their governments to account.
A main product of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation is the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a new comprehensive ranking of sub-Saharan African nations according to governance quality.
42 learners were chosen from Facing the Past classrooms to attend the conference. The learners had to apply, outlining their leadership experience and submit an essay on democracy. To read some of the essays click here.
The conference ran from 29 September to 1 October and was held at Provincial Parliament in the Parliamentary Chambers. The conference was supported by the Speaker of the House who had agreed to letting the conference take place there.
The young delegates spent the three days reflecting on the state of South Africa’s democracy.The Ibrahim Index of Good Governance was the starting point for the discussion and allowed the learners to see democracy as much more than just voting.
Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, Premier Zille, Mail and Guardian editor, Nic Dawes, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of UCT, Professor Crain Soudien and ex-IFP MP, Gavin Woods all spoke to the young leaders about various aspects of South Africa’s democracy. Throughout the three days the young delegates used History as a tool to understand more about South Africa’s democracy and the choices and responsibilities we have as citizens.View a clip from the conference
A Gala Dinner was held at Old Mutual House for the young leaders, their teachers and principals. Premier Zille was due to speak at the event but due to other commitments she asked DA MP Ryan Coetzee to speak on her behalf. She did, however, come to the dinner to personally apologise to the delegates and introduce MP Coetzee.
The week after the conference the young leaders had the opportunity to meet with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s Board during their visit to Cape Town. The members of the Board who attended were Nicholas Ulanov, Nathalie DelaPalme, Lord Cairns, Mo Ibrahim, Mamphela Ramphele, Salim Ahmed Salim, Lalla Ben Barka and Sir Ketumile Masire. Former Botswana President Festus Gontebanye Mogae also took part in the discussion which was held at Rondebosch Boys High School. For two hours the leaders, both young and old, discussed the state of South Africa’s democracy in light of the Ibrahim Index of Good Governance.
The conference was a great success. Besides the overwhelming support we received from the guests who spoke at the conference, we received great encouragement from various other leading South Africans including the Deputy President (who tried to change his diary to attend), Graca Machel, Adam Habib, Vincent Mphai and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.