President F.W. de Klerk Marks 20 Years Since the End of Apartheid
February 10, 2010
This week, much of the world is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. His freedom was a direct result of the declarations of South African President F.W. de Klerk who put an end to apartheid, causing a momentous shift in South African society and changing the face of global human rights. On February 2, 1990, de Klerk stunned the world by lifting his country’s ban on Mandela’s African National Congress, fundamentally changing politics in that country, ending decades of enforced racism. Along with Mandela, de Klerk was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for this work.
For de Klerk, ending apartheid was part of a long personal journey, beginning with his realization in the 1980s that the “separate state” policies that divided blacks and whites in his country would not work, and were unfair. Reflecting on his decision, he noted that “[South Africa] was involved in an armed struggle in which there would be no winners. The key decision I had to take now, for myself, was whether to make a paradigm shift.”
Twenty years later, de Klerk remains vital to global politics, and continues to be a game-changer. He founded the Global Leadership Foundation in 2004 to further promote democracy and human rights, and his actions in South Africa still widely resonate.
Now is an amazing opportunity to inspire your group with a legendary world leader. Contact Keppler Speakers bureau for more information on bringing political speaker F.W. de Klerk to your organization.
Read F.W. de Klerk’s remarks on the end of apartheid for yourself.