Speech By President Nelson Mandela At The Opening Of The 12th International Council Meeting Of The United World Colleges
South African History Online 
Speech By President Nelson Mandela At The Opening Of The 12th International Council Meeting Of The United World Colleges
Johannesburg, 3 November 1995
Your Majesty Queen Noor;
Chairperson;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen
May I first say how greatly honoured we are that the United World Colleges
should choose South Africa for the opening of its Twelfth Council Meeting. In
its vision, the UWC evokes the ideal of a world community and it gives substance
to that ideal through its activities. Your visit to us we feel to be part of our
own homecoming. We extend a warm welcome to all the delegates and hope that you
will have a pleasant stay in our country.
It is a proud moment for me to succeed his Royal Highness, The Prince of
Wales, as President of the International Council of the United World Colleges.
His dedication over many years to the aims of the UWC is known to us all. He
provoked and encouraged you to seek new ways of developing the UWC mission. He
understood that developing countries have their specific needs. Under his
presidency the UWC grew in stature, and he has set us a challenging act to
follow.
I feel honoured to be alongside Her Majesty Queen Noor, the International
President of the United World Colleges, with whom I have already shared views on
the organisation on several occasions. Her enthusiasm for its aims is inspiring.
You could not have recruited a finer person than Her Majesty in seeking to
tackle the challenging tasks that lie ahead.
With your permission, Chairperson, I would now like to tell you why I have
accepted your invitation to preside over your International Council.
Firstly, the United World Colleges established in Southern Africa a college
which set an important example in non-racial education.
Secondly, my old comrade and close friend, Yusuf Cachalia, a leader of
resistance to apartheid, who died recently, was Patron and one of the Trustees
of the UWC in this country. From him I absorbed the admirable ideals of the UWC.
Thirdly, my own children, like those of many other friends of mine, attended
the United World College of Southern Africa in Swaziland when I was in prison;
and so did some of my grandchildren. I therefore know your aims and methods at
first had. I admire people like Michael Stern, the founder headmaster, and
Christopher Newton Thompson, the founding chairman, who demonstrated in the
worst days of apartheid, that even those who were free to enjoy privileges of
the system, could instead ally themselves with the oppressed in the interest of
non-racialism in Southern Africa.
But there is still more that the UWC can do.
The Waterford KaMhlaba UWC of Southern Africa should continue to pioneer the
development of education in this part of the world.
More children from disadvantaged backgrounds should be given the chance of
this international education. In this regard we welcome your decision to
establish a Fund named after the South African President to assist the
integration of gifted disadvantaged children into international life.
I have been intrigued to learn of the United World College in Venezuela,
namely, the Simon Bolivar Experimental College of Agriculture and Rural
Education. This College has a vast programme of activities in local communities
embracing handicrafts, community leadership, education in population control,
health methods, and the starting of small businesses.
The proposal to establish a South African Rural Development and Agricultural
College in Association with the United World Colleges is, therefore, most
encouraging. Such a project could, if it proceeds, to bring to pre-university
education the kind of innovation which the United World Colleges have
demonstrated elsewhere, especially in addressing the desperate needs of rural
communities.
We have with us here a delegation from India, a country whose ties with our
people are very long standing and of deep significance. The UWC will be opening
a college there in 1997, the Mahindra United World College of India. This
wonderful project will help cement th
Chairperson:
Living in prison is a lonely business. Fortunately, during all those hard
years I could count on weekly visits by the Red Cross. Hence I was delighted to
learn about recent establishment of the Red Cross Nordic UWC.
United World Colleges' relationship with international groups should be
nurtured and expanded. We think here, for example, of the SOS organisation,
which has set up and operates over 300 Children's' Villages for orphaned and
abandoned children in well over 50 countries around the world. Interaction with
organisations that have goals and commitments similar to ours, enriches us all.
The striking feature of the United World Colleges is that they embrace the
entire world across all divides of race, history, culture, wealth, religion,
economic status and political belief. They are unique and they are conscious of
their responsibilities. With the proper support, they ca help make the world a
better place.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
I wish you well as you discuss the affairs of the UWC and deliberate on its
future.
I thank you!
