World Seminar: 30 years since the end of South African Apartheid - Parallels to Palestine

Om eventet

This marks the return of the SAIH World Seminar after a brief hiatus, and we are honored to invite you to a seminar featuring the South African Ambassador to Norway to reflect on the 30 years since the end of apartheid in South Africa. Following the short talk, H.E. Ms. Dolores Kotzeby will be joined for a panel discussion by professor Hege Hermansen, and SAIH president Selma Bratberg. The discussion will cover the parallels between the apartheid regime in South Africa and Palestine, Norway’s role in these important events – both from a foreign policy perspective and from a civil society perspective. Norway has long been seen as an international negotiator and promoter of peace, and as an early supporter of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, which saw huge student, civil society and trade union action against apartheid. 30 years have now passed since the end of the apartheid-regime in South Africa. We see, however, that while both Norway and South Africa have spoken out against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, South Africa has been more firm in its stance. Many organizations drove advocacy work and championed for the end of apartheid in South Africa within Norwegian society, among them the Student and Academics International Assistance Fund (SAIH). SAIH is now, both on a campus and central level, outspoken about the scholasticide in Palestine. What effect can boycotts and civil unrest have as tools to drive change within the international arena? Norway has now acknowledged Palestine as a state, and there have been wide ranging protests in Norway in support for Palestine and as part of the global outcry against the crisis in Gaza. What similarities can we see across these two historic events and what implications do they have for international relations? What significance do outside actors, both states and civil societies, have in applying pressure for change? We welcome you to join us for an important discussion Thursday the 13th of February at 16.30 at Auditorium 2 in Eilert Sundts Hus at Blindern campus. This event was organized by SAIH Blindern and Amnesty Blindern.