Source: U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa |

U.S. Mission in South Africa Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s Historic Visit to South Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa, May 25, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ --

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped.  Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – June 1966, Robert Kennedy

The U.S. Mission to South Africa will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the visit of Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) to South Africa through a series of events May 30-June 4, 2016.  RFK’s daughter, Kerry Kennedy, along with several members of the Kennedy family, will be joined by representatives from the Faith & Politics Institute and RFK Human Rights to attend commemorative events in Gauteng, Durban, and Cape Town. 

On May 30, the Wits School of Governance will host the first event, a panel discussion as a part of its Dialogue on Development and Rights series.  The event is titled “Ripples of Hope: Robert F. Kennedy’s Historic 1966 Visit to South Africa – Its Significance Then and Now.”  It will include dramatic readings of monologue excerpts from Kerry Kennedy’s book Speak Truth to Power, read by students in Wits’ Drama for Life program, and a panel discussion in which Kerry Kennedy, Ambassador Gaspard, former president Kgalema Motlanthe, Wits Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Tawana Kupe, and Wits Theater Director Gita Pather will participate.

Media are invited to a press briefing on May 30 at 4:00 p.m. at Wits University, immediately prior the start of the Dialogue on Development and Rights.  All interested media should RSVP to harveycr@state.gov, at which time further details will be provided. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa.