David Geldart invited to speak at South African Celebration Events
David Geldart, Assistant Headteacher at St. Mary’s Menston has recently spoken at two major events celebrating 20 Years of freedom and democracy in South Africa and the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
Mr Geldart is founder of the Bambisanani Partnership which has gained international acclaim for its work using sport to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership in one of South Africa’s poorest rural communities.
At an event at the Civic Hall in Leeds to celebrate the ‘Life and Legacy’ of Nelson Mandela, Mr Geldart spoke about ‘The Power of Sport’ to an invited audience and representatives from the South African High Commission including Minister Counsellor, Dumisani Ntuli, Counsellor Bilateral, Alan Wright and First Secretary, Carol Mabuza. Nelson Mandela is closely associated with the Leeds since his visit in 2001 where he awarded the Freedom of the City. Leeds played an active and significant role in the anti apartheid movement and today has a thriving partnership with Durban. At the Civic Reception Mr Geldart presented Minister Counsellor, Dumisani Ntuli with a painting from one of his students, Sara Riley which symbolises the work of the Bambisanani Partnership bringing the two countries together through sport.
A week later Mr Geldart was invited to speak at the South African High Commission in London as part of the Twenty Years of Freedom celebrations. At the event The South African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency, Obed Mlaba praised the work of the Bambisanani Partnership as ‘a remarkable story of hope and what can be achieved internationally through the combination of sport and education working together’.
“Mr Geldart said ‘The opportunity to contribute to these important events was a huge privilege; it was an amazing honour to be able to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela and promote his legacy of democracy, peace, justice and reconciliation. The legacy must continue and I look forward to working in my own City of Leeds and with the South African High a Commission to develop the use of sport for the benefit of young people in both countries’.”
