RU  UK  EN
Статьи  >  Know  >  Mandela – the Legacy of Freedom: an exclusive interview with South Africa's Ambassador to Ukraine

Mandela – the Legacy of Freedom: an exclusive interview with South Africa's Ambassador to Ukraine

Автор: 27.10.2014 | diplomacy, ambassador, event, interview, personalities, RSA
On 23 October, in Kiev in the Dome Master Class of Education and Culture opens both a festival and exhibition dedicated to the 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela. Thus our chief editor Darya Karyakina interviewed the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa in Ukraine Christian Albertus Basson, who told us about this outstanding person whom he met personally.

– So, let’s start. I would like to ask you about the today’s event. Actually, I think that we did the first exhibition of such kind in Ukraine, so please present a little bit for Ukrainians and tell us some words about this occasion.

– Thank you very much. This year is celebrated the twentieth anniversary of birth of the new South Africa, twenty years of democracy. The President Mandela, as you know, played a very big role in the birth of the modern South Africa – he was the first democratically elected President, in 1994 he was elected already at advanced age. Mandela passed away in December last year, we still fell his presence. Our first exhibition and our first film festival are devoted to those twenty years of democracy and life of the President Mandela that we want to share with everyone. We did it globally this year, not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries. We are very fortunate to have content from the producers of very good films with star actors and top producers for this event. So, we are very glad to host over four or five weeks films about the South Africa.

– I’d like to ask you personally what do you think are the most important achievements of Nelson Mandela for your country?

– To my mind, he obviously achieved a lot. I believe that the first one is reconciliation. We are diverse country: we are from different histories, backgrounds and cultures, and Mandela was able to forge a new nation around the Constitution. Moreover, through his personal contact he was able to bridge the different forces: extreme right wing, left wing and all political groups. He made them all feel a part of the process, to my mind, this is his the most lasting legacy. The second one was his respect for Law, the rule of Law. He was trained as a lawyer, and we are very fortunate that our three founding fathers Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and the President Mandela were all lawyers and had a great respect for Law. For them the African democratic Constitution that captures the aspirations of the South Africa and human rights respect, was very important. I think the third element for him was that he was a success to take the South Africa back to international community. As you may remember, we were crossed out from the most of international events until Mandela became the President. He took us back to international community. Thus, he contributed much into reconciliation and peace through negotiations. You know he did not like war, he did not like violence. He made a great contribution into humankind. He was a very great man of humanity. I met him a few times.

– Really?

– Oh yes, I can tell you some interesting stories about him.

– Please tell, it is very interesting to speak to person who made an acquaintance with such a great figure.

– I am going to share my personal experience. When I was working in our international relations department, I had to go and brief him a few times in his office. He remembered names and he remembered faces. Once there was a very interesting occasion. As you know, Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison and therefore he had serious problems with his legs. One day I was asked to take documents to him and to brief him in his residence. I arrived, there were no security guards, the only one who was there was his butler who opened a door for me. I said to him “I want to see the President Mandela to give him documents and to brief him”, he answered “Go up to his room”, but I said “I cannot go to his room, you know?” he told me “Don’t worry, he doesn’t mind.”. When I walked up the stairs, on the left-hand side, he was lying on the bed and a physiotherapist was massaging his legs. I was very conscious when they saw me walking in. And Mandela said “Young man, come here. Come and see your president lying on his bed”. How many people would do it?

– He was so open…

– He was open, great, you know, humanitarian. He loved people, he had a great love for people.

– Incredible scene, really. I think for our leaders it would be an interesting story. Actually my last question is: in what way can the Ukrainians learn more about the figure of Nelson Mandela? Maybe you can recommend some places to visit in your country, if they have such possibility, to read some books.

– We are always very eager to prescribe other countries our experience, so let me be frank about it. There are some general lessons that one can learn from the South Africa. First, you have to talk to everybody, whether you agree with them or not, you shall talk even to those people you do not agree with. And your President is doing that. Secondly, it is important to have good Constitution. The third aspect is the importance of the rule of Law and of the judicial system. The fourth aspect is that Mandela opened the economy for everybody to participate in it. Therefore, these are lessons that you can learn from the South African experience. We are not perfect, we are still dealing with the challenges from the past, but Mandela was very good in setting up an example for the future. Now when people talk, Mandela is always a reference point. They say “Mandela would have done this… This is that he would have said or done… ”. Thus, he has really become a benchmark. A very good example: he was summoned, while he was the President, to court to testify and he went to court, and many people said to him that presidents do not go to court, but for him it was important to set an example for the future that nobody is above the Law. So, there are many lessons that you can learn from Mandela’s life. And you will see them tonight and in some of movies within next few days. And also he had a great sense of occasion, how to use symbolism. One movie that shows this is Invictus. It is a fantastic movie about rugby. Or rather, the movie is about how to use the rugby cup to unify the nation. This is really something to see.

– Thank you, thank you very much.

– My pleasure. Thank you so much, thanks.

Вам это будет интересно:
VIDEO: Vanilla, pistachio... orchid
With the assistance of the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in Ukraine we visited Damascus and enjoyed very interesting place. Watch!
Wild, wild Africa... Part 2
We are continuing our narration about the most breath-taking national reservations in Africa! There are five more primordial world areas where time hardly slowed down its running being afraid of worrying the natural harmony…
A jewelry approach to perfection
Behind the window sad eyes of old man peered at Petrograd engulfed by revolutionary fire. This fire spread on his life's work: a proud four-story building was invaded by noisy commissioners and sailors, whose presence seemed a cruel joke after regular customers. Workshop owner Carl Gustavovich Fabergé, apparently, noticed in this chaos approaching decay of his career. However, he could have a secret gleam of hope for another life of his heritage.
Wild, wild Africa. Famous national parks of the continent. Part 1
Insanely beautiful, raw and refined Africa is exactly the place where one should plunge into a whirlpool of wild nature, taking over an unusual role of a guest in the abode of animals, not vice versa... Here you can free your mind from all artificial and imaginary stuff, feeling like a tiny speck in the vast and exciting world...
Art of Patrick Cabral: paper as a symbol of fragility of our world
Independent artist originally from the Philippines, Patrick Cabral conquers the world with his unusual artwork. His creations are an innovation that combines the age-old traditions of calligraphy and cutting-edge 3D technologies. His art is a way to change the world for the better, both through aesthetics and through the fulfillment of a social mission.
10 facts about South Africa
For the majority of people the South Africa is known only as a birthplace of the great Nelson Mandela, and the country where mines and carriers are literally teemed with mineral resources. However, an educated person should know much more about the most advanced state of Africa. Fill in your knowledge gaps together with the OUTLOOK!
Not only a tower is a symbol. The best works of Gustav Eiffel
The word is, Guy de Maupassant hated Eiffel Tower. The famous writer believed that it was uglifying the face of Paris without benefiting the city. Nevertheless, he could be often seen in a cozy cafe on the top of the construction. In such cases the author of “Bel Ami” used to say that “it was the only way the damned tower dropped out of his sight…”
Stellenbosch: The wine capital of Africa
OUTLOOK keeps introducing you to the most beautiful and unique cities of our planet. Today we will tell you about Stellenbosch located on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. This town is considered the continent’s premier address for wine production.
The magnificent world of land-art: Patrick Dougherty
Land-art is not simply the landscape design but also the whole direction in art which in thee 21-st century considered one of the most important when only lazy people do not speak about the ‘green technologies’ and environment. The names of stars of such an activity have sturdily come into the speech of the tutors, critics, and connoisseurs, especially they outline Patrick Dougherti.
I came, I saw, I built. Masterpieces of Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini
Sometimes it happens that you look at a postcard with a picture of a city and instantly realize that this is Kyiv, or Moscow, or Rome or your native village. And it isn’t courtesy of your geography teacher but back-breaking efforts of artisans with whose hands commonly familiar architecture masterpieces were created. Today we recall Italian conqueror of marble Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Statement by the Australian Ambassador on the occasion of the National Day
Australian Ambassador to Ukraine Bruce Edwards in his appeal on the occasion National Day addressed the main challenges that Australia faced in 2020 and also assured that "together, we will make a difference".
Flowers in Ukrainian Style. Kateryna Bilokur
Today marks 120 years since the birth of the famous Ukrainian artist - Kateryna Bilokur. Her talent has been recognized in her lifetime, her work has been admired by Pablo Picasso, and nowadays her paintings are exhibited in museums, and Google dedicates its doodle to her. And it all started in totalitarian times...
Yummy fingers: What awaits you behind scenes of the world best kitchens
Can you remember the most unusual dish that you had ever a chance to try? You decide what kind of food it was: something exotic; those insects that we can hardly imagine as an ingredient; strange drink with a bitter taste; an unexpected combination of bitter and sour... Everyone has his or her own unforgettable experience in this regard.
Director-General of the OUTLOOK Daria Kariakina on the Role of Public Initiatives in the Field of Cultural Diplomacy
On November 18 Director-General of the OUTLOOK Project and a public figure Daria Kariakina participated as an expert in a cross-border project European Values and Cultural Diplomacy: Youth Meetings Ukraine – Georgia.
Pablo Picasso: Poet for his era
About Picasso as a distinctive artist, graphic artist and sculptor, we know to some extent everything. Meanwhile, his other incarnations are pushed into the background. Ilya Ehrenburgh once very concisely described Pablo Picasso’s relations with his era: “20th century found in him its own dynamite expert, its own philosopher and its own poet”.
Fourth International Golf Tournament "Ambassador’s Cup"
The International Golf Tournament "Ambassador’s Cup" is a sporting event for diplomatic guests has been organised by GDIP together with "Kozyn" Golf Center for several consecutive years.
Ambassador Melissa O'Rourke held a diplomatic reception in Kyiv
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Commonwealth of Australia Melissa O’Rourke welcomed the guests of honor on 27 January on the occasion if the National Day . Ambassadors of India, Belgium, Greece, Afghanistan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Switzerland, Slovenia and diplomats from other countries were invited.
The Embassy of India to Ukraine celebrated the Republic Day on grand scale
On January 27, the Embassy of India organized a reception to mark the 71st Day of the Republic of India. India gained independence from colonial occupation on August 15, 1947, and the Constitution of modern and independent India came into force on January 26, 1950. This day became the history of the state and has been celebrated since that times.
Ambassador Anica Djamić organized a concert in Kyiv on Croatia presidency of the Council of the EU
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to Ukraine, Ms. Anica Djamić, organized a concert in Kyiv on the occasion of Croatia's presidency of the Council of the EU. Friends and partners of the diplomatic institution as well as statesmen visited the philharmonic.
Ambassador of Sudan in Ukraine Mohamed Eisa Ismail Dahab held a diplomatic reception in Kyiv
On the occasion of the Sudan National Day, a diplomatic reception took place in the capital of Ukraine, gathering at one of the five-star Kyiv hotels heads of diplomatic missions, regional and international organizations accredited to Ukraine, Ukrainian officials and Sudanese students studying in Ukraine.
Закрыть
Outlook facebook page