News from Berlin
South African Embassy Celebrates Freedom Day
May 02nd, 2014
News from Berlin - April 27th is a special date for South Africa as it celebrates the anniversary of the first non-racial and non-sexist elections of the country. These elections were a turning point in South African history, as they marked the end of over three hundred years of colonialism, segregation and white minority rule.
This year is particularly important for South Africa, as it marks the 20th anniversary of those elections and of the establishment of the Government led by Nelson Mandela, whose recent death last december gave a particular resonance to the celebrations. Indeed, in 1994, black people voted for the first time for their government, in their country, leading to what H.E the Ambassador of South Africa to Germany calls a “historic breakthrough in the struggle for democracy”.
In his commemoration speech, H.E. Rev. Dr. Stofile, Ambassador of South Africa to Germany honoured the fight of those who struggled for democracy and freedom, and allowed to set the basis for the building of the rainbow nation, one of the most prosperous countries on the African continent. He then put a particular emphasis on the diplomatic relations between South Africa and Germany, who built an enhanced bilateral cooperation, notably through the annual South-Africa-Germany Binational Commission, and who continue to collaborate closely on political, economic and cultural topics.
He then emphasized the progress that has been made in South Africa since 1994, in terms of economic as well as human development, thanks to the political will of the South African people. His keynote speech ended on a hopeful note for the future, recognizing that the country still faces rather important challenges in certain domains, that must be overcome in order to “build the nations of their dreams”, but showing a strong will to work towards the development goals that South Africa has set for itself.
The commemoration was rather important in Berlin, as a three-days festival offered by the Embassy of South Africa and the city of Berlin took place in the Haus der Kulturen der Welt from April 28th to 30th, comprising lectures, panel discussions, music concerts, and a cinematographic retrospective. News from Berlin - Berlin Global