on Campus Issue 9 • October 2013 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za
Inside Old Mutual boosts students page 11
UWC caps 44 PhDs page 12
UWC launches Institute for Post-School Studies page 19
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Annan enthralls at Tutu Peace Lecture
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niversities have an enormous role to play in building peaceful societies and promoting dialogues and debates on current issues, through research, and by providing policies and advice regarding the 21st century challenges we face,” said former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, when he delivered the 3rd Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture at UWC on 7 October. While always a highlight on the UWC calendar, this year’s event was even more special as it was held in celebration of the Archbishop’s 82nd birthday. Attended this year by Premier Helen Zille and Mayor Patricia De Lille, and including state officials from the United Kingdom, Madagascar, the Netherlands and Canada, the Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture is aimed at driving peace efforts around the world through dialogue and debate. Before introducing Annan, Archbishop Emeritus Tutu, who was Chancellor at UWC for more than 25 years, bewailed the seemingly never-ending wars that claim thousands of lives worldwide. “Imagine, we are sitting here enjoying good laughter and good music while children are dying around the world,” said Tutu. “It must be difficult to be God, as He has to look down and see His children dying like this in Syria.” Annan, whose lecture was titled Strong and Cohesive Societies: The foundations for sustainable peace, told a crowd of academics, students, international ambassadors and the general public that universities must work hand in hand with government, civil society and the private sector to promote peace and progress. He also advocated the empowerment of
Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu joines Dr Kofi Annan, who delivered the Tutu Peace Lecture. women. “The evidence is overwhelming that the healthiest societies are those which promote gender equality and invest in the education of girls,” said Annan. He further lamented traditions such as child marriage and female genital circumcision that are defended in some African countries as acceptable traditional practices. “I am also deeply concerned that in too many countries remains a high level of violence, including sexual violence against women,” he said. Annan criticised the state of electoral systems, particularly in Africa, saying that elections provide citizens with an opportunity to debate priorities, to choose their leaders and to hold them accountable. Sadly, however, as in many other parts of the world, elections in Africa can become a trigger for conflict rather than a peaceful
means of regulating competition for political power. “Electoral integrity must be restored”, he said. In closing, Annan spoke directly to the students. “You are the first generation of true global citizens,” he said. “We need you to step up and take responsibility, and above all we need your leadership. With courage and vision, Africa can develop institutions and qualities of leadership that will ensure a stable, prosperous and equitable society.” Previous speakers in the series of Tutu lectures include the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, whose conversation with Tutu was streamed live from his residence in India in 2011, while former first lady, Graça Machel, delivered the lecture in 2012.