Objective: to attend the lecture of Winnifred Madikizela-Mandela at the Alys Stephens Center of UAB at 12:45 pm on Monday, March 8, 2010, and to acquire new insight into the international community for global connections.
Details:
After my final class Monday, I prepared for the event and walked over to the Stephens Center. I met my old English 101 instructor and went and sat with her and several others. An ROTC senior entered after I had been seated and he joined me. When the event started, the president of the University of Alabama school systems, Dr. Malcolm Portera, welcomed the audience and spoke about Ms. Mandela's tour through Alabama. Many more people spoke about her and it was evident that they all felt not only respect for her as a political figure, but also love as a friend. The reason Ms. Mandela came to Alabama was because it was the 45th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday incident in Selma, Alabama. She spoke mainly on global politics and made it apparent the level of importance she placed on global community. She emphasized her belief that South Africa had no less of a role in shaping our world as the US. However, new problems always seem to rise up when people try to solve old ones, and because of that "the world today is more dangerous." Ms. Mandela compared Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela and said how much King influenced Mandela. She said that collectively, South Africa looks at the US as a friend and ally, but the problem is that South Africa sees the Middle East countries in the same way. It causes anguish for South Africa to watch brothers fight.
Final Thoughts:
Ms. Mandela exerted a sense of authority while maintaining a gentle and kind nature. I did not gain new understanding about South Africa's internal culture, but I did see some light shined on the global view that I had not seen before.
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