The Nelson Mandela Foundation launches exhibition to celebrate the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid

The Nelson Mandela Foundation launched an exhibition entitled: Our Shared Humanity in Action, on October 29.

The exhibition focuses on the role played by the United Nations (UN) Special Committee Against Apartheid in dismantling apartheid in South Africa. It features a physical dimension, with exhibition boards about the committee, accompanied by an audio-visual component, set up for the viewing pleasure of the public. The exhibition will be available at the foundation until the end of March 2025, and is free to the public.

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About the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid

The UN Special Committee Against Apartheid was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1962 and was originally named the Special Committee on the Policies of Apartheid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa.

However, it was renamed in 1975 to better reflect its advocacy against apartheid. The committee held its first meeting in April 1963 and was disbanded in 1994, following South Africa’s first democratic elections.

While the committee was initially tasked with disseminating information on apartheid South Africa, it began to actively promote the international campaign against apartheid.

The committee worked on UN resolutions, advocated for boycotts and sanctions, lobbied member states, organised conferences, collaborated with UN organs and NGOs, as well as raised awareness through various mediums including reports and educational materials.

Lessons to be drawn from the exhibition

The exhibition reminds society that what individuals do in institutions, such as the United Nations, matters and can have a profound impact on achieving justice, but every institution has its limitations, which is why solidarity across a variety of institutions and countries matters, as each can bring something unique to the overall effort, which can in turn have a multiplier effect.

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Here, we are reminded of the words of Enuga Reddy, who held such positions as the principal secretary of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid and the director of the centre. “During the struggle against apartheid, the Special Committee found it essential to promote the establishment of funds and agencies outside the UN, with the assistance of committed governments and NGOs, to supplement and support UN action, as they were able to do what UN organs could not.”

The exhibition is also a stark reminder that apartheid in South Africa was able to persist for many decades because of the inaction, protection, and support of other state and non-state actors. There were many examples of this, illustrated in the reports of the committee.

For instance, in a 1984 Special Committee Against Apartheid report, the committee condemned countries who were providing ‘comfort and encouragement’ to the apartheid government:

“The Special Committee, therefore, cannot but express its utmost regret at the policies and actions of the governments which have found common interests with the Pretoria regime and provided it comfort and encouragement in the pursuit of its crimes against Africa and against humanity. It must make special mention of the government of the United States of America and the governments of certain other Western Powers, notably the United Kingdom, as well as the regime of Israel,” stated Reddy.

Such words remind us that history can often repeat itself and that the pursuit of realising our shared humanity is ongoing.

Relevance to the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s work

The title of the exhibition draws a similar theme to the 22nd Nelson Mandela annual lecture, titled: Realising Our Shared Humanity, which was delivered by Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah.

This exhibition forms part of both the Foundation’s memory and leadership work. The hope is that the exhibition inspires people to draw lessons from the committee, and see how similar mechanisms can be mobilised for the benefit of other oppressed peoples.

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