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16 July 2018 Photo Sonia Small
Critical Leadership Key to Social Change
Théogène “Totto” Niwenshuti and Rena Yamazaki discuss trauma and forgiveness

The question of leadership, ethics, morality, and social change were discussed during the opening session of day three of the Global Leadership Summit, with panellists such as Dr Mvuyo Tom from the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation, Cunningham Ngcukana from the Robert Sobukwe Trust, Nomsa Daniels of the Graça Machel Trust, and students from the University of the Free State (UFS), the University of Antwerp, and the Sol Plaatje University (SPU).  The panel discussed how critical leaders make the right decisions and for whom these decisions are taken when dealing with situations of social change. 

The dialogue was followed by a performance from the Arts and Social Justice Theatre Production, as we wait, a gripping play about trust and betrayal, exploring race relations in higher-education spaces.  The cast, consisting of UFS students, engaged in a panel discussion with the audience, who later raised insights and interpretations of key concepts such as white privilege, ‘isms’, and transformation at universities. 

Trauma, reconciliation, and nation-building
One of the most harrowing events of the 21st century in Africa is the Rwandan genocide that saw close to a million people killed in a space of three months from April to July 1994.  The story of Rwanda was presented by Prince ‘Totto’ Théogène Niwenshuti, a Rwandan artist, activist, and victim. He was joined by Yuki Tanaka and Rena Yamazaki, who are students from the International Christian University in Japan, for a discussion with delegates.  The Japanese students related the narrative of Japanese colonialism, its invasion of Korea and parts of China, and the war crimes that were committed there.  Discussions ensued on issues such as retribution, reconciliation, and the effectiveness of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, the community justice Gacaca courts in Rwanda, and the omission of war crime narratives in Japanese history teachings and how this affects national unity, reconciliation, and trust between victims and perpetrators.

Transformation at universities – a global concern
A wide and global view on understanding the various modalities towards reconciliation and transformation were led by a panel of four: ex-SRC president Phiwe Mathe, two students from Edmonds Community College (ECC) in the USA, staff from the UFS, Cornelius Hagenmeier, Director: Office of International Affairs, moderated by JC van der Merwe from the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice.  Hagenmeier said, “I grew up in a divided Germany where east and west held certain stereotypes about each other.  I decided to finish my studies in the east, and this is when I realised that, on a personal level, we were able to find understanding as fellow students”. Mathe highlighted the importance of re-looking the commercialised space that the university operates in, and how that dictates its policies.  Students from ECC presented the plight of native American people in the United States and South America, the century-old discriminatory laws against these groups, and their call for social justice. 

The summit will conclude on 14 July 2018 with a sharing and reflection session where students and staff of partner institutions will present their positions on the thematic areas that were tabled throughout the week-long summit.

Related articles:
GLS explores global view on gender and intersectionality (July 2018)
Global Leadership Summit starts off on a high note (July 2018)

News Archive

UFS departments receive recognition for quality work from MACE
2017-12-07


 Description: 2017 MACE winners Tags: 2017 MACE winners 

The team from the Department of Communication and Brand Management,
UFS Marketing and Institutional Advancement who received awards at the
2017 Annual National MACE Congress.
Photo: Supplied

The Departments of Communication and Brand Management, UFS Marketing, and Institutional Advancement collectively won 16 awards during the 2017 Excellence Awards presented by the National Association of Marketing, Advancement, and Communication in Education (MACE), which took place in Johannesburg on 30 November 2017.  

Shared experiences and best practices 
The awards ceremony is part of the MACE Annual National Congress, which took place from 29 November to 1 December 2017 at the Wits School of Governance. The MACE Congress is a platform on which experts from the fields of marketing, advancement, and communication share experiences and best practices. This year’s programme included speakers such Basetsana Kumalo, CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings and a former Miss South Africa (1994), and first runner-up in the Miss World Pageant, Saint-Francis Tohlang, independent trend analyst and writer, Emma Sadleir, founder of the Digital Law Co and Leanne Manas, multiple award-winning TV presenter. 

Celebrating successes
Lacea Loader, Director of the Department of Communication and Brand Management at the University of the Free State, received an Award of Excellence Gold for the UFS Graduations Ceremonies Communication Strategy and an Award of Excellence for the UFS Rector’s inauguration and welcoming ceremonies. 

Mamosa Makaya, Deputy Director: Integrated Communication received two Merit Awards for, respectively, the Dumela newsletter and the Visitor’s Guide. Jóhann Thormählen, former employee in the department’s Internal Communication Unit, received an Award of Merit for the Wayde van Niekerk Campaign and an Award of Excellence Gold for the Student Newsletter. Thabo Kessah, also from Internal Communication, on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus, received an Award of Merit for the UFS Qwaqwa Campus Open Day video.  

"I am extremely proud of what we
have achieved this year and of
the quality and standard of the
work produced."

Martie Nortjé, Assistant Director of the Unit for Branding and Merchandise received an Award of Merit for KovsieGear Qwaqwa: Live the brand and set the trend. Leonie Bolleurs, Assistant Director of the Unit for Internal Communication received two Awards of Merit, for respectively, the UFS Schools Marketing Video and the UFS Corporate Profile and UFS Fingertips brochures. 

Ilze Bakkes from UFS Marketing received the Chairperson’s Award of Excellence for her entry, Top Achievers Early Bird Registration. The award is for the highest-scoring entry across all divisions. She also brought home the Award of Excellence Gold for Registration branding and communication – The Lighthouse Campaign, the Award of Excellence Gold for the Kick-Start Your “I-Want-To-B” Grade 9 Subject Choice Booklet and the Award of Excellence Gold for the Top Achievers Early Bird Registration project. Chantel Koller, also from UFS Marketing, received an Award of Merit for her Star of Stars Competition entry. 

The Institutional Advancement (IA): Alumni event planning committee received an Award of Excellence Gold for their entry: Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner. The committee consisted of Helen Namponya, Ntokozo Nkabinde, Tertia de Bruin, Nhlanhla Modzanane, and Elmada Kemp.

IABC Africa Award
“This is the second year in a row that the department has received so many accolades from its peers at MACE. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved this year and of the quality and standard of the work produced. The fact that we were also again acknowledged by the Africa Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is also commendable,” said Loader. She is also the National Chairperson of MACE. 

Earlier this year, the Department of Communication and Brand Management received an IABC Africa Award of Excellence for the UFS 2017 Winter Graduation Ceremonies Communication Strategy from the International Association for Business Communicators (IABC). Loader collected the award during the Silver Quill Awards ceremony on 3 November 2017 in Cape Town.

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