Albie Sachs to speak at the 9th Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture
The Lecture was instituted in 2004 to commemorate the life of Adv Dullah Omar, the founding Director of the Community Law Centre. See http://www.communitylawcentre.org.za/omar-memorial-lecture. Previous speakers included former President Thabo Mbeki, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the late former Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson.
Albie Sachs is a retired judge, activist, freedom fighter and academic. He is one of the architects of South Africa's constitutional order, playing a pivotal role in the negotiations to end apartheid and usher in democracy. After being appointed by President Nelson Mandela to South African's first Constitutional Court in 1994, he served 15 years as a judge and greatly influenced the development of the law of South Africa. He wrote many landmark judgment including the Home Affairs vs Fouriejudgment, legalising same-sex marriage in South Africa.
This 9th edition of the Dullah Omar Memorial Lecture takes place in the year in which South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy and promises to be a very special event, befitting of Adv Omar's legacy as a true pioneer of human rights and democracy.
More details about the event will follow. For more information, contact Mrs Debbie Gordon at dlgordon@uwc.ac.za.
related items:
- Former Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs makes a keynote address to the Worldbank Law Justice & Development Week
- Two decades after apartheid: reflections by Albie Sachs Two decades after apartheid: Reflections by Albie Sachs
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, one of the Community Law Centre's funders, has developed a news story and two videos that share the thoughts and perspectives of Albie Sachs.
Video: During a recent visit to the United States, Albie Sachs watched for the very first time archived news footage of his March 1990 return to Cape Town after living 24 years in exile. His engaging reactions to that footage and his thoughtful perspectives on the continued changes and challenges to democracy in post-apartheid South Africa are captured in this compelling video, available on YouTube.
Article: A brief and interesting biography of Albie’s lifelong efforts to fight apartheid and support freedom for all South Africans is available on the Foundation’s web site. The article also highlights some of the engaging perspectives shared by Albie in his video interview with Mott.
Video: During his visit to Michigan, Albie gave a guest lecture titled “Nelson Mandela: A Leader and a Friend.” In that public conversation at the University of Michigan-Flint, Albie shared many wonderful and important memories and perspectives on Mandela, and on the legacy that the former president has gifted to South Africa and the world. A video and transcript of that engaging lecture is available on Mott’s web site and on YouTube.