On 2 July, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation convened a seminar entitled “After al-Bashir? South Africa, International Justice and the ICC”. The aim of the seminar was to bring together legal and political minds from government, civil society and academia in the hopes of moving beyond the politicized binaries invoked in the way the al-Bashir non-arrest has been discussed.
"The world is in a terrible state." This was the overwhelming sense at the start of an eight-day workshop held in Berlin, Germany, from 21 – 28 June. It was as if the participants wanted to get into the theme, "Learning from Experience - Dealing with Violent Conflict in Constructive Ways" straightaway. Representatives from countries including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Liberia, Chad, Burkina Faso, Israel, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Uganda, South Sudan, Myanmar, Mexico and South Africa presented one story after another that sketched a world in crisis.
The current debate and many contestations over the eligibility of Pierre Nkurunziza, the incumbent President of Burundi, are likely to have a negative impact on the reconciliation process, despite the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in December 2014. The TRC, a new milestone in the reconciliation process, could be hampered by the ongoing political crisis. The objective of the Burundi TRC is to address the violations of human rights committed from 1962 to 2008 during the oppressive military regimes and the civil war.
Teaching Respect for All is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) initiative that gives teachers a framework in which to address issues of discrimination and promote inclusivity and equality. The IJR, as an implementing partner, had the privilege of coordinating workshops with educators in eight of the nine provinces in South Africa. Teaching Respect for All provides teachers with tools to start conversations with their learners about race, language, culture, religion and sexual orientation.
During the 2015 xenophobic outbreak in South Africa, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation convened a public dialogue bringing together civil society, government and members of the public to provide responses and recommendations to counter xenophobia in South Africa. At this event, IJR committed itself to facilitate a public workshop on the topic of “Respect for All” in honour of Mandela Day.
Should you wish to attend this exciting workshop, contact Simone Brink: sbrink@ijr.org.za
