Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen…

My name is Saif Islam, and it is an honour and privilege for me to stand before you as a representative of the SAWIP Class of 2012. I would first like to thank my team mates for allowing me to speak on behalf of our team.

My friends and family often ask me, “What was the greatest experience of your SAWIP journey?” And they are shocked when I tell them that it was not meeting influential people, going to Washington DC, or visiting the United Nations. Those were once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I will always cherish. But to me the greatest experience was being in a group of 15 extraordinary young people, and learning from one another. Our shared experiences shaped our journey – whether they were heights of achievement, times of trial or moments of laughter.

Every team has its defining moments. Our team is no different. Tonight I would like to talk about two of our defining moments. The first one was in 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC, where the Newseum is located. It’s a museum about news, and we went there to attend a session on Freedom of Expression. Our facilitator, a lovely and welcoming lady, started the session by talking about The First Amendment. Five minutes into her presentation, she said, “In the United States we have freedom of expression, but you might have some interesting experiences to share.” I still don’t know what she meant by “interesting experiences”, but we as a team felt a sense of self-righteousness or American Exceptionalism in those comments, even though it’s very unlikely that was what she intended.

From that moment onwards, we respectfully made it clear that even though we admire the tradition of liberty that exists in the United States, our own constitution – and its emphasis on human dignity – is equally important. Even though we admire how the United States created a system for individuals to prosper and grow, our desire to create a society in the spirit of Ubuntu is also worthwhile. On that day in Washington DC, we came to the realisation that even though we are a new democracy, we have a lot to contribute to the world. The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, admitted as much when she came to South Africa and said, “I’ve often heard it said that African problems need African solutions. Well, I’m here to say that some of our global problems need African solutions too.”

If our first defining moment was talking the talk in an affluent part of Washington DC, our second defining moment was walking the walk in a debilitating part of Cape Town. Edyth spoke before me about our community service project in Lavistown, an area where the legacy of apartheid is more visible than signs of human dignity. We will never claim that we changed the lives of those who live there. But that day was still a defining experience because instead of discussing grand theories and poverty stats in a board room, we chose to act. We acted on behalf of the school learner who doesn’t have access to a library, the unemployed father who cannot apply for a job for not having a CV, the mother who lost her son to gangsterism, the grandfather who wants a drug-free environment for his grandchildren…

Being part of this amazing SAWIP team convinced me that young people are truly capable of making tangible differences. In the very beginning of our journey, I wrote a blog titled “What to Expect from the Class of 2012”, where I said:

“There are challenges that lie ahead. How will we respond to those challenges? How will we rise to the occasions? Although I have only known my teammates for over a month, I’m not fazed by those questions.

I know Daniel will always remain calm under pressure. Nondu’s open-mindedness will expose us to endless possibilities. Kwadwo can articulate even the most complex of ideas. Carel’s innovative thinking will take us to the next level.

Phiwe’s genuineness will make us reflect, and remain accountable to ourselves. I know Makhosazana will listen – a special ability we often underestimate. Jason will embody servant leadership in any situation, and extend his help. Thamsanqa will always prepare 120%. Edyth will be resourceful even when we have run out of ideas.

Shannon will push himself beyond his limits. Parveen will accomplish whatever task she has set her mind on. Zola will never give up. Allie will ask the most probing questions, and keep our feet on the ground. Kgotsi can sum up all the different views in a room, and come up with a coherent argument for everyone to follow…”

We have come a long way, and set a high standard by leading, serving and overcoming our challenges as a team. But before we congratulate ourselves for a job well done, let’s bear in mind that the mission is not complete. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb”. Our SAWIP journey might be coming to an end, but the journey to change South Africa has only begun.

Eighteen years into democracy, there is no doubt that we made enormous progress in many areas. But recent events such as the Limpopo textbook crisis, or the tragedy in Marikana, show that we still have a long way to go. Our society is still divided. Our people still suffer from extreme poverty. Our challenges are more complex than ever. But despite these obstacles, there is something incredibly powerful that unites us all, whether we live in Claremont, Khayelitsha or the Cape Flats. That powerful unifying force is our unique history, our special narrative, our moral position in the world because of what happened in 1994.

What we need in this country is a new kind of liberation, a paradigm shift. A realisation that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow – they must lead today. It was this realisation that inspired several members of SAWIP family to form a youth movement called InkuluFreeHeid – short name for Inkululeko Freedom Vryheid. It is a movement that is dedicated to deepening our freedom. Next year we will visit schools, universities and communities around the country to start a national dialogue about our democracy. Our goal is to encourage young people to not only contribute to public discourse, where we are underrepresented, but also hold our leaders accountable by participating in the 2014 national election. The Class of 2012 sincerely believes that with strong faith, firm commitment and ethical leadership, we can take this country forward. That is why, my fellow team mates, instead of saying “Goodbye” to you, I’ll just say: “Let’s get to work!”

Last but not least, on behalf of the Class of 2012, I must convey a special thanks to the SAWIP board, management, sponsors, internship hosts and host families in Washington DC, for this once in a lifetime opportunity. As clichéd as it sounds, you have changed our lives forever, and we will always be grateful.

Thank you.

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken”

Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters and Guests…

Those were the words of Frank Herbert, and he couldn’t have been more accurate. I remember standing here three months ago, and telling you just how excited I was about visiting the United States. I was one of the 15 student leaders who were selected to the South Africa-Washington International Program. Today I am back, on this very spot, to tell you about my trip. But telling the story of an incredible five week journey in 5 minutes is impossible, so I’ll focus on three aspects: (1) the visa experience, (2) the professional experience and (3) the personal experience.

My visa experience was supposed to be smooth, but it was traumatising. The visa form had thousands of questions including (1) Are you a drug dealer? (2) Have you ever killed anyone? (3) Are you into child trafficking? I said NO to all those questions, and submitted my form. When I went to the visa interview a week before my flight, I didn't get a visa like my team mates. I was told to come back a week later. After six days of desperate prayers, phone calls, and efforts by the Consulate staff, I was given a visa exactly 18 hours before my flight. Anyway, I eventually landed in the US with my colleagues, but the immigration police refused to let me leave the airport. After detaining me for three hours, an officer took me in for questioning. He first wanted to find out why I’m coming to the US, how long I plan to stay etc. Then he asked me the million dollar question, “Have you ever been to Afghanistan?” After I said no, he asked, “Have you ever been to Pakistan?” I said no. He eventually let me go and I was a free man.

My professional experience was the highlight of the trip. I interned in the United States Congress, at the office of Senator Johnny Isakson from the state of Georgia. Being in the Congress was unbelievable. I would walk around historic places and tell myself, “So this is where Abraham Lincoln used to stand. This is where Barack Obama made his inaugural speech”. Unfortunately I couldn’t meet President Obama – I was really busy, and so was he :) My first day at work was decent because I didn’t have much to do. But on the second day, I sat in a meeting between Senator Isakson, South African Minister of Trade & Industry, Rob Davies, and South African Ambassador to the US, Ibrahim Rasool. The meeting was about renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

My main responsibilities in Congress involved research, writing reports and attending committee hearings. While working there, I really witnessed how the American people hold their leaders accountable. Every day we used to get at least 400 phone calls, e-mails and faxes from the people of Georgia, most of which are enquiries and complaints. Some people would actually visit the office with their complaints, and the Senator would have to make himself available to meet them. I also visited the World Bank and the United Nations Headquarters as part of my professional experiences.

My personal experience was equally special. This trip really made me question my purpose, my beliefs, and what I truly stand for. I was really fortunate to have met Congressman John Lewis, who was mentored by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Congressman Lewis was jailed 40 times for his civil rights activism. Being in his company left a lasting impression on me, because on that day I realised something really profound, that the most important things in life are being honest with ourselves, cherishing our values, and following our conscience.

Coming back to Frank Herbert’s quote about new experiences awakening the sleeper, I feel this trip has really energised me as a person and a leader. I was raised as a Muslim, I went to a Catholic high school, but I enjoyed being in predominantly Protestant America, while living with a Jewish host family. This trip once again reinforced my belief that no matter where you go, human beings are the same, and we all want the same things in life. That is why we should do everything we can, to use our diversity, and build the rainbow nation we all want to live in.

Thank you.

Since returning to South Africa, almost all my friends and family members asked me one question: How does it feel to return home?

On a superficial level, I could go on and on about having to adjust to sleeping patterns, cold weather, food etc. But those things are just that - superficial. Of course, I'll miss the people I met in DC, such as my host family, colleagues and friends. But given the way the world has shrinked, they are a click away. Given the nature of globalisation, they could easily find themselves in South Africa in the near future.

So what has changed? What, if anything, has changed fundamentally? I would say it's my way of looking at the world.

We arrived in Cape Town on Sunday night, and went to university the following morning. I was actually looking forward to attending class, especially a course called Third World Politics. Quite surprisingly, I couldn't pay much attention in class. It's not that I was tired or the course wasn't interesting. In fact, the course content was incredibly interesting. But I kept asking myself the following questions: When will I go out there and DO things? When will I stop reading about the Third World, and go out there to engage the issues facing the Third World? When will I stop patting myself on the back for writing essays on South Africa's socio-political reallity, and go out there to tackle it for positive change?

It almost feels like my mind has graduated out of university. Of course, I'll still study with dedication until I complete my Master's degree. But I also realise that as things stand right now, I don't belong to academia. There's no doubt that academics play a fundamentally progressive role in society. Education is of vital importance for a nation's success. For change to occur, our actions often need to be guided by some kind of theoretical understanding. But if there's one thing the 'Washington, DC' chapter of the SAWIP journey taught me, it's following my gut and doing things while I'm young.

Truth be told, I always had a sense of purpose. But the DC experience added a stronger sense of urgency than ever before. I actually don't want to readjust to the old ways, when my mind used to resolve things by saying 'our future will be bright'. I still believe that... but this belief is now secondary to another belief: the present is far more important than the past or the future. The time to act, in order to build a better South Africa, is now.

This sense of urgency is not unique. I sense it among my SAWIP colleagues and other young people too. It's time to translate that energy into intelligent, organised action. I'll touch on that on another blog post.

Saif

Now that the ‘Washington, DC’ chapter of our SAWIP journey came to an end - consisting of an intense five and half weeks - it is time to take a moment and thank those who made this possible. As clichéd as it may sound, it was by far the best five weeks of my life. I have met many inspirational people, visited several extraordinary places, and came across some really brilliant ideas…

Thank you to the Almighty, for everything that ever happened to me, good or bad.

Thank you to my parents, for always supporting me, in good and bad times!

Thank you to the SAWIP board (SA and USA) and the entire management team of seven committed people. I really cannot stress just how much I appreciate everything you have done to make this experience unforgettable. We may not always say it out loud, but we’re always grateful about the way this program invests in young people. Sometimes I ask myself, “Do I deserve any of this?”

Thank you to my host family. When I first found out that I’ll be staying in Virginia, I was a bit concerned about the long travel time. But Lee (my host mom), Mark (host dad) and Ashley’s (host sister) love, care and generosity always made me feel at home. Traveling to work and back didn’t even seem that long, because Alli (my SAWIP sister) and I always ended up chatting about just how much our host family spoiled us!

Thank you to Senator Johnny Isakson and his staff for welcoming me to your office with open arms. It has been inspirational, every single day. If I come to the United States again, you know very well that I’ll first land in Atlanta, Georgia!

Thank you to the people of the United States of America… you were the most friendly, most kind!

The SAWIP experience has truly been one of the major highlights of my professional life. But professional aspects aside, simply being in another country - especially the United States of America - has been an educational experience. It has not only broadened my mind but also changed some of my views on many issues (e.g. I probably became more of a fiscal conservative than I was before!). Anyway, there are two things that I learnt in the USA that I found most profound. They are actually quite simple, but fundamentally important at the same time.

Firstly, people in the United States, at least in my experience, hold their leaders accountable. I'm currently interning on Capitol Hill, and hundreds of people call our office every day to seek clarity on legislations, about diverse issues such as health, foreign affairs, veterans' affairs, security and especially the economy (e.g. jobs, tax etc). The same goes for other congressional offices. People also send hundreds of e-mails and faxes. This type of direct engagement ensures that the representatives are aware of their constituents and their needs. Furthermore, staffs are encouraged to always treat their constituents with respect. None of this is rocket science, but extremely valuable in a democracy.

Secondly, there is a great emphasis in the US about remembering the past. Significant efforts go into making history available to people, by maintaining several great museums and funding similar initiatives. This ensures that people know where they come from, and know their national values and ideals. While one should always be wary of narrow nationalism or jingism, a good dose of patriotism can truly can take a country forward.

Of course, these aren't the only things that I experienced in the US. There are many other aspects, good and bad depending on who you speak to, and all those diverse things make the US the dynamic country that it is.

2012 is the election year in the United States, and whether your relationship to politics is one of love, hate or downright indifference, you cannot escape the buzz. I have been fortunate to intern on Capitol Hill this summer. It has been a real privilege to see the legislative process first hand. More importantly, it has been an educational experience to "see things from the inside."

From the outside, it's always easy to make assumptions about the political process. But when you're inside, even as an intern, you're bound to change some of your perspectives. You see the hard work done by legislative staffs, the paper trail, the complexities, the coordination, and how a combination of all those factors form what we know as the government.

The 2012 election - in which economy is going to be the biggest issue - is bound to be interesting, and I'll certainly follow the campaign trail from South Africa. If you wish to know more about some of the key issues regarding this election, you're welcome to click on the link below. It is Wall Street Journal's interactive map to browse economic data by state and county and review state vote projections (Disclaimer: Views expressed on the website are not my personal views).

http://projects.wsj.com/campaign2012/maps/?mod=e2fb#r=pres&v=states

In my previous blog post, “The Spear of Nation Building: Part I”, I provided a short summary of events surrounding the controversial painting about President Jacob Zuma. The incident dominated local headlines for two weeks, and generated a number of opinion columns, debates and panel discussions. South Africans of all backgrounds expressed how they felt about it, whether through blogging, social media or protesting in the streets. After reading various commentaries as well as discussing it with some of my SAWIP colleagues, my own views on “The Spear” changed a number of times. But this blog post is not about my own views, but some of the fundamental issues or questions that this saga has raised:

Freedom of expression VS Right to Dignity: One way to look at the controversy will be to see it as a constitutional debate. Freedom of expression is enshrined in the South African constitution, which also protects artistic creativity. Therefore, many people supported the artwork on constitutional grounds. Those opposed to it argued that even though Jacob Zuma is a public figure and should be under public scrutiny, he has a right to dignity as a person, which has been harmed by the painting. The question is: what, if any, are the limits to freedom of expression? Who draws that line?

Negative portrayal of black bodies: Several commentators said that the painting resembled colonial representation of black sexuality, presenting it as primitive, pointing to its inability to control lust and desire. Perhaps, those wearing a freedom of expression hat should have considered this perspective, not to agree with it, but at least empathise with those who felt hurt by the painting. Not acknowledging other people’s perspectives, or completely dismissing it, only worsens the situation.

It’s a race issue: Some raised that “worse” paintings were drawn in recent years, but they never received much scrutiny because the painters were black. This painting was drawn by a white person, so there is a level of overt/subconscious racism at play here.

Zuma deserved this? I have heard many people say Zuma deserved this because of his personal life. In other words, he doesn’t deserve any dignity. This is quite an interesting observation. In a constitutional democracy, can we ever really say that a human being doesn’t deserve any dignity? Or does that depend on the type of actions committed by the individual?

All censorship is bad: A number of analysts suggested that all censorship is bad. In a free society, nothing should be censored because it doesn’t allow us to think or debate issues. But should this apply in all contexts? What would that mean for anti-minority propaganda and how they are materially affected as a result?

It’s all about politics: Quite a few political scientists said the ANC’s protests against the painting was a ploy by Zuma to garner sympathy knowing the ANC’s elective conference – where he wishes to become the party’s President for a second time – is around the corner.

In conclusion, the whole saga has shown that South Africa has a long way to go in terms of forming a consensus on many complex issues, especially when race is part of the discussion. This is understandable given it’s a young democracy. Contrary to most people, I personally thought the entire saga was good for South Africa. Democracy is about contestation of views, which have been informed by personal, social, cultural and historical experiences. The fact that we are engaging one another about our differences, differences about which we feel passionately, is democracy at work.

These were my opening remarks at SAWIP's "South Africa: Transforming Tomorrow" conference at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

The former President of South Africa, the last real hero of the post-colonial world, Nelson Mandela, once said: “There is no short cut to the country of our dreams.” He couldn’t have been more accurate. The euphoria of living in a free country after centuries of tyranny could not last forever. Now we face the difficult task of nation building, and that is why we are here today. My name is Saif Islam and I am a member of the SAWIP Class of 2012. On behalf of the SAWIP team, I would like to welcome you to this important conference on the future of South Africa.

I must begin by saying I feel incredibly privileged to be standing in front of you today. I was born in Bangladesh in 1988. My father moved to South Africa in 1997 in search of opportunity. When he arrived in Johannesburg, he only had 25 US dollars, with no friends or family. With that money, he started selling goods in street corners and train stations. Eventually, after six years of hard work and sacrifice, he managed to start a small enterprise, and bring my mother and I to South Africa. That was exactly 10 years ago. So even though it is quite unlikely for me to be standing in front of you, the story of my family shows that there are plenty of opportunities in South Africa. The challenge is making those opportunities available to more people. That is why we are here today.

In recent years, the new South Africa has often been criticised by cynics at home and abroad. They said a race war will break out between blacks and whites. They said democracy will be a failure in South Africa like many other African countries. They said South Africa couldn't host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They were proven wrong. Today South Africa stands tall, as a country that has achieved significant economic development, a country that grants individuals their basic rights, a country that embraces diversity in spite of its history of conflict and social exclusion. That is why we are here today – to celebrate our accomplishments.

If South Africa wasn’t a nation with extraordinary potential, my father wouldn’t have been able to make a living with a starting base of 25 US dollars. And someone like me, who couldn’t even speak English 10 years ago, wouldn’t have been standing in front of you. So in many ways, South Africa is a land of opportunities just like the United States of America.

But that is the past. Today we are here to talk about the present. Today we face a number of complex challenges, such as rising inequalities, a struggling basic education system, and lack of socio-economic transformation. Approximately four million young South Africans are not in employment, education or training. We cannot avoid responsibility by saying young people are the leaders of tomorrow, when they are disempowered today. If unchecked, these challenges can derail our journey towards the country of our dreams that Nelson Mandela once envisioned. What happens in South Africa will have implications for the rest of the African continent. That is why we are here today, and that is why today’s conference is so important.

So I would like to end with a quote by none other than a young Woodrow Wilson. In his undergraduate essay titled “The Ideal Statesmen,” he said: “And let me again remind you, that it is only by working with an energy which is almost superhuman, and which looks to uninterested spectators like insanity, that we can accomplish anything worth the achievement.” I urge each of you to summon that energy at today’s conference, so we can not only unpack the challenges but also uncover the opportunities. The intellectual contribution that you make today can inspire the type of action that can change the lives of South African people.

The SAWIP team truly believes that with the unity of our purpose, honesty of our engagement, and strength of our commitment, we can transform tomorrow. That is why we are here today. Thank you.

When it comes to youth activism in the ‘new’ South Africa (and perhaps in many other countries too), we constantly hear two blanket statements. Firstly, we are told that 'in the past young people were activists, but today’s youth are apathetic and have become slaves of consumerism.' While I will not deny that consumerism has made significant inroads into our lives, it is naïve to believe there was ever a golden age when every young person was an activist.

Even if we are talking about the worldwide protests of 1968, Soweto Uprising of 1976 or the Arab Spring of 2011, it is always a minority of people who capture the imagination of many, and inspire the proverbial masses to join a protest or take action in whatever form. Expecting every young person to be an activist is a noble ideal that is worth pursuing, but perhaps not very realistic. Statements of this nature often prevent us from genuinely appreciating the great work done by many young leaders in various sectors of our society.

The second blanket statement is something we are constantly told: 'young people are the future, they are the leaders of tomorrow, and they will create a better world…' These words aren’t unfamiliar to anyone. Whether it is a politician addressing university students, a priest preaching to young believers, or parents speaking to their children, we heard them before. Young people being an optimistic race, those of us privileged enough to hear these words have internalised them, rationalised them and dreamt about them.

But the senior adults among us have also heard these words when they were young. They were also told, “You will create a better world.” They also believed that their generation will one day resolve the pressing local and global challenges. The reality, of course, is much more complicated. On one hand, our parents’ generation ushered a new era of political freedom in most parts of the world, although the quality and scope of this freedom vary. On the other hand, economic inequalities have only increased in almost all parts of the world. However, my intention is not to delve into their successes and failures, but stress what I find problematic about this statement.

In my opinion, this statement tells us something obvious, but fails to emphasise the need for young people to play an active role in the present. In South Africa, unless a young person has access to a tertiary institution, it often becomes difficult for him or her to join relevant student organisations that deal with various societal problems. Despite having the desire to build a better country, many young people become disillusioned as a result of little or no opportunities.

I met many young South Africans who are driven, intelligent, and deeply conscious of South Africa’s socio-economic reality. They are passionate about joining the new struggle against poverty, inequality and corruption. Unfortunately, many of them simply do not have the opportunity to play such an active role in our society.

Unless we create organised spaces for young people to voice their concerns and subsequently act on them - such as youth movements that take their views seriously - our society will fail to take advantage of what the youth have to offer. We will end up building an incomplete nation, because its makeup will not feature the voices and craftsmanship of those whose energy and idealism can create a world better than the one our parents inhabited.