Call for end to nationalism from new Mandela award recipients

Recipients of two new awards me in name of former South African President Nelson Mandela by an institution in Chennai have called for an end to increasing nationalism of states across globe to dress issue facing world.

awards were me by Mras Development Society (MDS) at its inaugural International Conference on Peace and Development on Sunday evening.

virtual conference saw 17 global leers from Indian diaspora sharing views on how teachings of Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Lur King could be used to dress ever-increasing border and inter-state tensions across globe.

Dr Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, received individual award and Austrian Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ACPCR) institutional award.

Internationally rewned lawyer Pillay was first woman judge to be appointed to South African High Court by Mandela after he ascended to Presidency in 1994 following 27 years as a political prisoner during reign of aparid-driven white mirity government.

“We need governments to work collectively with civil society and t against it,” Pillay said in her acceptance dress, dedicating award to thousands of Indians who h left South India, like her own grandparents, from 1860 onwards, to toil almost slave-like as indentured labourers in South Africa. Pillay said that despite challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, ordinary people all over world h mobilised mselves to protest against inequality and discrimination through projects such as ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘MeToo’ campaigns.

“se are all powerful voices demanding change and governments must listen to ir call.

“ single country can fight COVID-19 on its own and country can bring an end to conflict and achieve peace unless y work toger,” Pillay ded.

Concurring with Pillay’s views, Gudrun Kramer of ACPCR said that her organisation h trained over 6,000 people alrey to assist in UN Peace missions.

“ challenges of COVID-19 and climate change need to be dressed in a different way of thinking. We need to understand that we share a common planetary destiny,” Kramer said.

“ approach of nation-state centrism with an attitude of ‘my nation first’ will t be able to dress se planetary challenges, he said.

MDS President Dr V S Sampath said awards h been instituted in Mandela’s hour because he h been a champion of peaceful transition of majority in South Africa after deces of suppression by a mirity.

Puducherry Chief Minister Velu Narayanasamy said ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Mandela h to be propagated to entire world, while South African Minister of Cooperative Governance Pravin Gordhan said youth of world were sending messs through ir protest actions that changing geopolitics and geo-ecomics of world has led to narrow nationalism, which is t what Mandela and ors stood for.

Former Prime Minister of Guyana Moses Nagamootoo shared experience of his short-lived attempt to bring about peace and reconciliation through multi-party governance but remained hopeful that this could still be achieved.

Plans were also anunced at conference for a statue of Mandela to be erected in Chennai by next year.

Govindasamy Viswanathan, chancellor of VIT University, said statue would be a mark of respect to both Mandela and many Indians, especially from Tamil community, who h settled in South Africa.

Viswanathan said a committee of local leers was in discussion with both government and NGO’s about statue project.

Both awards will also be conferred personally at unveiling of statue on a date which will be decided after COVID-19 crisis ends.