Africa-Press – Eswatini. Former South Africa president, Thabo Mbeki, will deliver the keynote address during the Waterford KaMhlaba United World College (UWC) Africa Week on Friday.
UWC Africa Week is Waterford Kamhlaba’s student-led initiative that will run from today to Saturday (July 29, 2023).
Mbeki’s address, expected to set the stage and tone of UWC Africa Week 2023 by unpacking the theme; ‘A Journey Ever Evolving’ starts at 11am in the school’s Michael Stern Lecture Hall.
This year’s theme aims to illuminate Africa’s past, present, and future events as a holistic revolution; an irregular pattern of events that cannot be fixated on one definition of what Africa was.
The theme speaks to the fact that Africa would always be under transformation in different forms and shapes.
UWC Public Relations Officer, Mancoba Mabuza, said their community appreciates President Mbeki’s participation and unique insights as a champion of pan-Africanism and African Renaissance, and they expect to learn a great deal from his remarks.
Mabuza pointed out that the current generation of young Africans, including their students, look up to President Mbeki and draw inspiration from his articulation of a bold pan-African vision and generation of ideas.
“We have no doubt that our UWC Africa Week audience will be intrigued by a keynote address delivered by an experienced and knowledgeable statesman with a sense of belonging to the wider African continent and one with a vision of an African Renaissance,” Mabuza explained.
It was mentioned that the UWC Africa Week 2023 would feature other distinguished personalities as speakers.
He said they hoped to explore the wonderful African continent through various events, including the Opening UWC Africa Week Assembly today, panel forums, a keynote address, a night of live music, poetry, dance, and fashion from across the African continent.
Other keynote speakers who have been featured in past UWC Africa Week events include Graça Machel (2018), Professor P Lumumba (2021), and Dr Lance Mambondiani (2022).
Waterford KaMhlaba United World College of Southern Africa (WK UWCSA) was one of the first multiracial schools in southern Africa.
The school played a small yet significant role in the struggle for racial equality in the southern Africa region, educating the children of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Desmond Tutu, Nobel prize-winning novellist Nadine Gordimer, the first President of Botswana Seretse Khama, and the revolutionary leaders of Mozambique Samora Machel and Eduardo Mondlane.
In a post-apartheid era, Waterford has sustained its early vision to educate exceptional students regardless of race, religion, or financial background.
The college continues to nurture Africa’s future political, business, and civic leaders. Waterford remains an outstanding academic institution founded on the principles of equal access to quality international education for all, unhindered by race, religion, social background, and finances.
The school had 16 students when it started; and today it has over 600 students representing over 60 nationalities, taught by a cohort of very diverse, highly qualified, and committed staff. Waterford’s earliest ideals of courage, leadership, and equality remain at its core.
The college provides opportunities for academic achievement, personal growth, and leadership development for youth across Africa and the world.
Waterford KaMhlaba offers a challenging and transformational education through the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). In 1981 Waterford joined the United World Colleges (UWC) movement.
The school’s excellent academic achievements, reputation, and commitment to service are exceptional, cultivating change-makers and nurturing global citizens.
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