South African leaders are to share their experience of the transition to democracy with Israeli and Palestinians at a special conference beginning on Sunday.
Former president FW De Klerk and education minister Professor Kader Asmal, will be among those who share their ideas and experiences with civil society leaders from Israel and Palestine at the conference.
The ”Restoring Hope: Building Peace in Divided Societies” conference, hosted by the Social Cohesion and Integration Research Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), will take place at the Western Cape Hotel & Spa near Hermanus in the Western Cape from May 4 to 6, the HSRC said in a statement on Wednesday.
”It is our hope that in sharing South Africa’s experience of settlement and of transition, and in particular of civil society’s role within the process, this will serve to guide communities in Israel-Palestine,” said Professor Wilmot James, executive director of the programme.
Among the themes to be considered at the conference are ”accessing the international community”; strategies of the NGO sector; bringing military agencies under control; the benefits and costs of a pro-active business sector; the role of the media and the changing demands on the religious community.
Delegates to the conference also include finance minister Trevor Manuel, national intelligence minister Lindiwe Sisulu, Western Cape finance MEC Ebrahim Rasool, former head of the SA Defence Force Georg Meiring, former United States ambassador to South Africa James Joseph, chairman of the Arab Economists’ Association in Ramallah Samir Abdullah, former Israeli minister Yuli Tamir, editor of The Star Moegsien Williams, head of the South African Revenue Service Pravin Gordhan, Knesset member Aviva Lori, political activist Gazi Abu Jiab and political advisor and author Stanley Greenberg.
The media is invited to attend the first day of the conference — Sunday 3 May — from 2pm to 6pm. The rest of the conference will be closed. – Sapa