REGISTRATION
INFORMATION
World University Rankings - Top 600

DUT celebrates Madiba’s life in style

DUT celebrates Madiba’s life in style

The first democratically elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela turned 93 at his home in Eastern Cape, Qunu, with millions of wishes from people around the globe…

The first democratically elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela turned 93 at his home in Eastern Cape, Qunu, with millions of wishes from people around the globe. The world celebrated Mandela Day aimed at inspiring people to give at least 67 minutes of their time to better their communities, like Mandela did for 67 years serving his community, country and the world at large. Mandela Day is about celebrating a man who chose courage over fear, love over hatred, a man who is living testimony of what is possible in human kind guided by values he held throughout his political career.

The Durban University of Technology (DUT), Conference Centre gave 67 minutes of its time to give keynote speaker Professor Jack Whitehead a chance to capture the well lived life of Nelson Mandela at the university’s Ritson Campus.

Professor Whitehead is a lecturer at Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom (UK) and has written many publications on the subject of Action Research with his colleague, Professor Jean McNiff of Educational Research at York St. John University. He has spent 36 years in the Education Department as a visiting professor at other universities.

Professor Whitehead started by playing a clip of Nelson Mandela describing what ubuntu or humanity means. He spoke to the audience (with guests from Walter Sisulu University, University of KwaZulu Natal, Mangosuthu University of Technology and students from Germany) on the reality of what South Africa is today.

“Many of newspapers like the Mail & Guardian are filled with stories of corruption and violence but on page 23 there are values that we should all try to live by, like Mandela” said Whitehead.

He then spoke about people who are working on making the world a better place, like Professor Moira Laidlaw of Ningxia Teachers University in China who also tutors a Masters programme at the Open University in the UK.

Professor Laidlaw has voluntarily given English lessons to Chinese students abroad for six years.
Professor Whitehead applauded the efforts of Professor Laidlaw as he believes that a language barrier can deny a very smart student a chance to progress.

“We must all look into ourselves to find that power because we all have it to try continue where Mandela left off,” concluded Professor Whitehead.

– Nqobizizwe Zwane

No comments