By Piotr Fajkowski and Esther Fruh
During our Transcultural Caravan Research trip to Pretoria in South Africa our group had the opportunity to be part of a panel discussion called “Charting the Path to African Sustainability: A Panel Discussion on the Future of Sustainability in South Africa” on the Hatfield campus of University of Pretoria.
During the panel, we listened and spoke to Professor Loretta Ferris, Vice-Principal of the University of Pretoria, Prof Flavia Senkubuge, a specialist in Public Health Medicine with a PhD in Public Health, and Dr Stanley Ntakuma. The chairs of the panel from the University of Pretoria (UP) and our outstanding hosts were Priscilla Morley and Kamagano Sethono.
The panel started with an introduction of the participants and university partners. The first speech was given by Prof Loretta Ferris, who encouraged us to ask ourselves a question: “What is sustainability? And how is it perceived by South African people?” Professor Ferris highlighted the impact made on a more sustainable world by young people, especially by organisations led by young activists such as African Climate Alliance or Biowatch.
She pointed out that the consequences of unsustainable behaviour were already being experienced by many, and she therefore suggested possible solutions such as integrating a strong focus on the STGs into students’ curricula. During the second speech, Professor Flavia Senkubuge introduced very important and valuable aspects to the development of our research project. Professor Flavia mentioned the Ubuntu concept, a Southern African philosophy that emphasises communal values, human interconnectedness, and the importance of relationships. Originating from the Nguni Bantu languages, the term “Ubuntu” is often translated as “I am because we are” or “humanity towards others.” The Ubuntu philosophy encourages forgiveness, mutual respect, and a sense of shared humanity, which were crucial in the efforts to build a more inclusive and peaceful society in post-apartheid South Africa.
A very important and unique part of the speech given by Professor Senkubuge was the focus on African clans and relations between people and nature. We learned that in order to research sustainability in South Africa and other parts of the world, we have to listen carefully to the needs and desires of the people. It is crucial for us to understand and utilise the knowledge that people have gathered over generations about nature and all the connections creating today’s world.
Last but not least, part of the speech was advice to us researchers, students, people of all ages and professions, to learn to say “stop” and allow ourselves to rest. However, it is crucial to stay in good health and to think about all the steps that we take to walk on the right side of life.
During the last speech on the panel discussion, Dr Stanley Ntakuma presented new research on sustainability and the influence of activists and youth on climate issues. He also provided insightful answers to questions from the students from the TSRG research group. The panel offered a wealth of new information about sustainability, particularly from a South African perspective. The knowledge we gained on the first day in South Africa has been invaluable, deepening our understanding of the true goals of our research trip.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the participants of the discussion panel and our hosts from the University of Pretoria for providing us with the opportunity to learn and ask important questions. Their insights have been invaluable to the Transcultural Caravan Group.
