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23 October 2023 | Story Carmenita Redcliffe-Paul

The University of the Free State (UFS) and the South African Chamber of Commerce United Kingdom (SACC UK) are pleased to invite you to the next conversation of the Global Citizen Series.

SACC UK representative, Director of Mindofafox, futurist, and bestselling author, Chantell Ilbury, will facilitate this thought-provoking and engaging conversation between UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen, and President and Chief Executive of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), Rohitesh Dhawan.

The discussion will explore the strategic priorities and breakthroughs in the mining and metals industry in relation to critical areas of climate and environmental resilience, social performance, governance, ethics and transparency, and innovation for sustainability. 

Dhawan, a Fellow and faculty member of the Africa Leadership Initiative, will reflect on leadership through collaboration to enhance the contribution of mining and metals towards sustainable development, security of minerals within a changing geopolitical environment and the progress that is possible when citizens collectively focus on improving the lives of others and our planet.

Participate in the Global Citizen event in person or online via live stream. 

Kindly RSVP on the links below and indicate your preferred method of participation.

Join the Global Citizen in person in London, United Kingdom

Date: Wednesday, 8 November 2023 
Time: 17:30-19:30
Venue: SOAS Brunei Gallery – SOAS, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Sq, London WC1B 5DQ, United Kingdom
RSVP: Friday, 27 October 2023 
Enquiries: Adrienne Hall E: adrienne@creative-partnerships.co.uk or T: +44 7469 219157

Light refreshments will be served after the event.

Join the Global Citizen event online

Date: Wednesday, 8 November 2023 
SA time 20:00-21:00 SAST
UK time 18:00-19:00 GMT
RSVP here by Friday, 3 November 2023 

The live stream link will be shared upon RSVP.

About Rohitesh Dhawan

Rohitesh Dhawan was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of ICMM in April 2021. He is passionate about the transformative power of mining, particularly in emerging markets where he has spent two-thirds of his life. Dhawan is a Fellow and faculty member of the Africa Leadership Initiative and a Raisina fellow of the Asian Forum on Global Governance. He serves on the advisory boards of the Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment, Concordia, and Resolve.  

Read more about Rohitesh Dhawan here.

News Archive

Researchers receive study grant for research into Congo Fever
2015-03-10

UFS researchers will be contributing significantly to the search for a vaccine against the deadly tick-borne disease known as Congo Fever.

Prof Felicity Burt from the Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology was recently awarded a research grant by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) to study candidate vaccines for Crimean-Congo heamorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and other arboviruses.

Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, or other arthropods.

Prof Burt is an internationally-recognised expert on the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus is a tick-borne virus that is associated with severe haemorrhagic disease in South Africa and other parts of Africa, Asia, and eastern Europe. Her interests focus on medically significant viruses that are transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes. Her research group is involved in determining the immune responses that are induced by different viral proteins.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, a tick- borne virus found in Africa, Asia, the Balkans, and eastern Europe, causes severe viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.

Although a number of tick species are capable of becoming infected with CCHF virus, ticks of the genus Hyalomma, commonly referred to in SA as the “bont-legged ticks”, are the principal vector. The ticks have distinctive brown and white bands on their legs.

In February 1981, the first case of CCHF was recognised in South Africa (SA). To date, there have been nearly 200 cases of CCHF infection in SA with a 20% fatality rate. The majority of cases occurring in SA were in patients from the Northern Cape and Free State provinces.

“The funding that has been awarded will be used to profile immune responses against CCHF viral proteins, and investigate mechanisms and strategies to enhance these immune responses. We hope that the study will contribute knowledge towards the development of a vaccine against this medically significant virus.”

For more information or enquiries contact news@ufs.ac.za.

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