Westminster Abbey honour for the Bambisanani Partnership

David Geldart represented the Bambisanani Partnership at the Service

David Geldart the Founder and CEO of the Bambisanani Partnership charity was recently invited to attend a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the 30th year of South Africa’s democracy at Westminster Abbey in London.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, who said:

“We meet under God and in good company to give thanks for thirty years of democracy in South Africa. In 1994, South Africans held their first non-racial, democratic elections. After voting in those elections, Nelson Mandela spoke of ‘a new era of hope, reconciliation and nation building’. Thirty years down the long road to justice and righteousness, we now honour those who have carried that flame and worked tirelessly in that cause. Giving thanks for their courage and their witness, we recommit ourselves to the vision of a nation free from domination of any kind. We pledge ourselves to effort and hope. Here we will pray for ourselves and for South Africa and the welfare of all her people.”

Lord Boateng, A former British High Commissioner to South Africa, gave a passionate and inspiring Address to the 2,000 strong international congregation that included Her Majesty Queen Nompumelelo Zulu.

The service included performances by South African tenor Innocent Masuku. Reflections were given by Christina McAnea, General Secretary of UNISON and by the Honourable Ronald Lamola MP, minister of Internation Relations and Cooperation, representing the government of South Africa. Mr Bassim Haidar, Honorary Consul of South Africa affirmed the call to unity given President Nelson Mandela. At the end of the service, faith leaders representing the Hindu, Jewish and Muslim communities, offered words of blessing for South Africa and its peoples.

Her Majesty Queen Nompumelelo Zulu attended the Service

David Geldart said, “As an Anti-Apartheid campaigner and someone that has worked in and with South Africa for the past 18 years it was a great honour to attend this most significant event to not only give thanks and praise for what has been achieved but also to reflect and consider the future actions. I remember vividly the TV footage 30 years ago of snaking queues of people that stretched for mile after mile waiting with great dignity to vote for the very first time in their lives. A most significant moment in history; a message for humanity from humanity. We had been told for years that this could never happen but we believed and had faith that it would; it did happen. Some years later I would meet and make enduring friendships with many people that had stood in those queues - their stories and their hope had a profound impact on me as had those TV scenes of first-time voters. Many of these people became key members of the Bambisanani Partnership and over the past 18 years we have together we have engaged more than 21,000 young people from both South Africa and the UK in our various projects and programmes using sport as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship and leadership. Much has been achieved but there is more to do. It really was a great honour to represent the Bambisanani Partnership team at this wonderful event.”