Thabo Mbeki to deliver the Chief Albert Luthuli lecture

The lecture, to be held virtually, marks 60 years of Chief Albert Luthuli’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the non-violent struggle against apartheid.

Public relations officer for the Luthuli Museum in Groutville, Zinhle Nyembe, said the theme of this year’s lecture was ‘Africa and Freedom,’ premised on Luthuli’s 1961 Nobel prize acceptance speech delivered in Oslo, Norway.

Nyembe said the objective of the memorial lecture was to promote the principles and values of Chief Luthuli, namely peace, human rights, justice and the coexistence of people in harmony irrespective of race, colour or creed.

“The lecture provides a platform for public awareness, critical debate and action on issues important to society,” said Nyembe.

Mbeki is currently the chairperson of the African Union (AU) implementation panel for Sudan and South Sudan, the chairperson of the AU panel on the security of the horn of Africa, and the AU-UN panel on illicit financial outflows from Africa.

He has previously facilitated peace negotiations in various African countries, including Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chief Luthuli was honoured and known in South Africa and worldwide as a champion for peace, human dignity, justice and reconciliation.

The lecture will be streamed from 6pm to 8pm.

The Memorial Lecture is jointly hosted by the Luthuli Museum, University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

To join the lecture, you can register by clicking here.

For inquires contact Zinhle Nyembe: profficer@luthulimuseum.org.za or Pam Adams: Adamsp@ukzn.ac.za.