Nelson Mandela - Late revolutionarist

 Ladies and Gentlemen. This may very well be our last official visit to the United States before retiring from office next year. There could not been a more moving start to the visit than one which included being honoured in this way by one of the great educationalinstitutions of this nation and of the world. I know that through this award you are notso much recognising any individual achievement, but are rather paying tribute to the struggles and achievements of the South African people as a whole. I humbly accept the award in that spirit,while at the same time wishing you to know that we are not unaware of nor unmoved bythe great compliment you pay us by conferring this degree at a specially convened Convocation. To join George Washington and Winston Churchillas the other recipients of such an award conferred at a specially convened Convocation, is notonly a singular honour. It also holds great symbolic significance:to the mind and to the future memory of this great American institution, the name of anAfrican is now added to those two illustrious leaders of the Western world. If in these latter years of a life lived inpursuit of equality, we can at last look upon our own country as one in which citizens,regardless of race, gender or creed, share equal political rights and opportunities fordevelopment, we do so with great gratitude towards the millions upon millions all aroundthe world who materially and morally supported our struggle for freedom and justice. Together with those freedom- and justice-lovingc citizens of the world, we do at the same time, however, note that at the end of this century- a century which humanity entered with such high hopes for progress - the world is stillbeset by great disparities between the rich and the poor, both within countries and betweendifferent parts of the world. If in individual life we all may reach thatpart of the long walk where the opportunity is granted to retire to some rest and tranquillity,for humanity the walk to freedom and equality seems, alas, still to be long one ahead. This august institution gains its standingand reputation also from the manner in which it has conducted, and continues to conduct,itself as an international presence. Wherever men and women of learning and thoughtgather, its name and work are known. It embodies that spirit of universality whichmarks great universities. To join the ranks of its alumni, is to bereminded of the oneness of our global world. The greatest single challenge facing our globalised world is to combat and eradicate its disparities. While in all parts of the world progress isbeing made in entrenching democratic forms of governance, we constantly need to remindourselves that the freedoms which democracy brings will remain empty shells if they arenot accompanied by real and tangible improvements in the material lives of the millions of ordinary citizens of those countries. Where men and women and children go burdened with hunger, suffering from preventable diseases, languishing in ignorance and illiteracy, orfinding themselves bereft of decent shelter, talk of democracy and freedom that does notrecognise these material aspects, can ring hollow and erode confidence exactly in thosevalues we seek to promote. Hence our universal obligation towards thebuilding of a world in which there shall be greater equality amongst nations and amongstcitizens of nations. The disparity between the developed and developingworld, between North and South, reflects itself also in the sphere of educational and intellectual resources. When in Africa we speak and dream of, andwork for, a rebirth of that continent as a full participant in the affairs of the worldin the next century, we are deeply conscious of how dependent that is on the mobilisationand strengthening of the continent's resources of learning. The current world financial crisis also starklyreminds us that many of the concepts that guided our sense of how the world and itsaffairs are best ordered, have suddenly been shown to be wanting. They are seen to have hidden real structuraldefects in the world economic system. The precepts of the economic theorists whocould so confidently prescribe to all, now appear to have drawn much of their apparentintellectual validation from having been unchallenged by the day-to-day operations of a system thatoperated in the interests of the powerful. Not only does this crisis call for fundamentalrethinking and reconceptualisation on the part of the theorists of the North. It more particularly and urgently emphasisesthe need for thinkers and intellectuals of the developing world to sharpen their skillsand analyses, and for a genuine partnership between those of the North and the South inhelping shape a world order that answers to the shared and common needs of all peoples,and not just the riches. This university already has had a long partnershipof learning and teaching with the South African people. There are many names that one could mentionof persons now holding office in government or in institutions of civil society who spenttime at Harvard or benefited from programmes conducted jointly with this institution. For that, our fledgling democracy faced withenormous tasks of reconstruction and development owes your institution a great debt of gratitude. As South Africans play their role in helpingto conceptualise and give content to the African Renaissance, we continue to draw upon theintellectual skills nurtured and honed here. The United States of America and democraticSouth Africa have in the course of these last four years built a relationship of mutualrespect and co-operation, each country respecting the sovereignty of the other while co-operatingas partners. As part of this relationship the scholarswho had the benefit of studying here, returned better equipped to deal with the local challengesand problems as Africans. It is therefore a source of great encouragementand inspiration for us to learn about the "Emerging Africa" research project housedin the newly-created Centre for International Development at Harvard. Its objective of undertaking an appraisalof Africa 92s economic, social and political history, as well as the problems facing thecontinent, is timely and to be greatly welcomed. That it will be doing this in collaborationwith African research institutions and scholars, will serve to strengthen and build Africanintellectual capacity to take charge of its reconstruction and regeneration. I am confident that it will also strengthenand build your own understanding of African reality and your capacity to analyse thatreality as part of our shared world. Mister President, we accept this great honourbestowed upon us today as a symbol of how South Africa and the United States, Africaand the West, the developing and the developed world, are reaching out and joining handsas partners in building a world order that equally benefits all the nations and peopleof the world. For three hundred years this great institutionhas served its nation with distinction. We enter the new millennium in the hope thatthe rich fruits of learning, science and technological progress will in this coming century trulybe shared by all in this global village in which we live. We are confident that this institution ofwhich we are now a proud member will play a leading role in achieving that.