Cultural diplomacy within the Commonwealth |06 July 2015

Sir James Mancham to deliver keynote address in the House of Lords

Founding President James R. Mancham has accepted the invitation of the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy to deliver a keynote address at an international symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the Commonwealth which is to take place in the House of Lords in London between July 22-24, 2015.

The occasion is to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations (UN).

The historic day of November 9, 2014 which marked the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Summer of 2015 which will mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War as well as the establishment of the UN represents major transitions that have taken place globally in the development of global human rights towards a more peaceful, prosperous, equal and protected society. The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has therefore created the international symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the Commonwealth 2015 in order to build on this past experience and to formulate new initiatives which will strengthen international relations and encourage cooperation between diverse communities based on the values of peace, democracy, human rights and the rule of law wihtin the Commonwealth of Nations.

The Commonwealth, of which Seychelles has been a member since Independence, covers almost a quarter of the world’s entire land area and serves as an influential regional player in global, political, economic and cultural affairs as a result of which it has a rich and diverse experience of best practices in cultural diplomacy.

According to Mr Mark C. Donfried, director general of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, the Commonwealth, with its shared values and history, is the ideal forum for fostering mutual understanding and cooperation through cultural exchange and open dialogue.

In fact the Commonwealth, which is a voluntary association of 52 independent and equal sovereign states, is home to 2.2 billion citizens of which over 60% are under the age of 30 and includes some of the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest nations spanning the five regions of the world. Thirty-one of its members are small states, many of them island nations.

In his letter of acceptance Sir James said he had followed the development of the Commonwealth ever since the breaking up of the British Empire. When Seychelles became independent it also became a full member of the Commonwealth and at the same time joined the Commonwealth Parliamentarian Association.

He said he welcomes the opportunity of speaking about the Commonwealth in the House of Lords because he was in London to attend the Commonwealth Summit, which coincided with the celebration of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, when he was overthrown by a violent coup d’état in 1977.

Ironically, he said, last year he represented President James Michel at the Commonwealth Luncheon hosted by its secretary general on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

“My experience with the Commonwealth has been a unique and special one. Much water has gone under the bridge of this great association which was initially a club for countries with a link to the British Empire but over recent times Rwanda and Mozambique, which have no historical ties to the British Empire, have also been admitted. The critical analysis of the situation I will make within the spirit of cultural diplomacy will be intended to strengthen the resolve of the Commonwealth to remain internationally effective and respected,” Sir James said.