I had the honour of making the opening and closing remarks during our (SAWIP) inaugural public conference on 26 June 2012 in Washington, DC. This is how the evening session unfolded.

Good evening

... to greet you with merely a “good evening” now seems as an anti-climax after an afternoon that inspired me to want to greet you all with a traditional ululation.

[The audience ardently joined me with the ululation]

I am Makhosazana Sika. I was raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, in Soweto to be more specific, in an area called Zola. I am a member of the SAWIP Class of 2012 and feel honoured to be here this evening.

Opening remarks

We had wonderful speakers this afternoon - a great big thank you to all of them. On behalf of SAWIP, I would like to in particular thank South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, for his participation earlier this afternoon, and for spending the evening with us as well.

For tonight’s proceedings, our discussion will be a focus on the life and legacy of our former president Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The most significant inspiration about the life and legacy that uTata Mandela has for me is about hope and dreaming. In his autobiography entitled Long Walk to Freedom (Little, Brown and Company), Nelson Mandela writes:

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward.

There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

Those words speak volumes to me. There have been a few times in my life that had I given up, that would have resulted in me feeling disempowered and insecure about my own future. As a message to us all, and in particular to the youth, I believe that uTata Mandela’s words are those of being hopeful and having the ability to dream about an improved nation with empowered people.

At this point, I would like to share a brief story about myself. In 2006, I left home at the age of 17 to go and further my education at the University of Stellenbosch. I grew up in a township, so the notion of going all the way to what you may refer to as the “country-side” in Stellenbosch to pursue a degree in the agricultural industry was not a popular one. However, I was adamant about it.

During my first year, I soon learned that perhaps studying at a university closer to home and closer to what I knew and understood of the world would have been easier. I recall being intimidated when we were told as first years that 60% of us would not make it to the second year of university. Still, I stayed, because I knew why I had come to university. I had and still do have great future hopes.

I believe that education is an investment; it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Vote of thanks

I would like to thank all of our forum participants for their thought-provoking and action-inspiring discourse. Your words have again reminded us of the magnitude that the life and legacy of uTata Mandela embodies.

A big thank you to the Woodrow Wilson Centre for partnering with us [SAWIP] to make this event happen. In particular, a very special thank you to Steve McDonald, Mame Khady Diouf, Derek Langford and Sheila Sengupta. Also, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the SAWIP team that worked diligently in making this fundraiser event a great success. In particular, thank you to our SAWIP executive director Claire Shoolin; Kim Williams, our SAWIP program manager; and the SAWIP interns: Dinika Govender, Thuli Montana, Molly Sandza, Afua Sarpong and Skye Kussman.

On behalf of the SAWIP Class of 2012, I invite you all to our reception where you will be treated to South African food and wine, as well as a live performance by Washington, DC’s extraordinary jazz vocalist, Akua Allrich. Please join us across the hall and enjoy the rest of the evening!

Thank you