Mandela Month

18-20

BRICS Youth Summit

The 9th BRICS Youth Summit and the Meeting of Ministers responsible for Youth Affairs is being hosted by the National Youth Development Agency in South Africa under the theme - BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism. “The BRICS Youth Summit is a platform for dialogue for delegates from member states, striving for the promotion of peace, security, development in a multi-polar inter-dependent and increasingly complex, globalising world,” says the government. The summit will be held in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, with South Africa, this year’s general BRICS summit hosts, setting the agenda for the proceedings.

20

World Chess Day

World Chess Day marks the formation of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), which was founded in 1924. “Under the initiative of FIDE, the day is observed by chess players around the world since 1966.” The day highlights the need to support member federations invest in women’s chess and chess-related social programmes. Chess has a rich history, going as far back as the 7th century, with an Englishman, Nathaniel Cook, creating a standardised game set almost twelve centuries later. This year marks 99 years since FIDE’s formation.

30

International Day of Friendship

In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the 30th of July as International Day of Friendship. “The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity,” says the United Nations, which hosts events through various internal and external, civil society organisations. “The initiative was proposed by UNESCO to define the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems.”

BY SINAZO MKOKO