OWN CORRESPONDENT
Pictured: Wits Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib.
PHOTOGRAPHS: ILAN OSSENDRYVER
Diversity (and Tolerance) Day was a whole-day event that involved top-tier speakers and engaging discussion aimed at exploring the themes of tolerance and acceptance across the full spectrum of our national diversity.
The day started with the lighting of a symbolic flame of democracy to recognise the values of the South African Constitution as being integral to the values of KDVP. This was followed by a keynote address by Professor Adam Habib, the vice-chancellor of the University of Witwatersrand. His speech centred on the need for productive and controlled engagement on all issues in order to fully realise the value of the diversity present in every South African institution.
From there the day moved on to cover ideas of racial integration as presented by former Constitutional Court clerk, Lwando Xaso, as well as a discussion on wider tolerance for minority groups, including a specific exploration into sexual orientation freedoms presented by Lael Bethlehem.
In addition to these addresses, we facilitated interactive, thought-provoking, and vigorous discussions on a variety of topics in order to encourage discourse and independent thought among the learners.
The day was organised with the aim to give the school and its learners the opportunity to engage with speakers offering very differing viewpoints on the world and society around us, as KDVP believes this kind of exposure is a crucial part of developing ourselves as proud citizens of this country and members of the Jewish community.
On the whole, the day was a valuable exploration into our mandate as human beings and left everyone both enlightened and optimistic about their future in this country.
