Inclusive Society Institute participates in Dakar Conference on Mandelaism, Global Change and Africa's Future

The Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) participated in an international conference held in Dakar, Senegal, from 18 to 20 July 2026 under the theme "Disengagement and a Shifting World: Re-reading Mandelaism to Recreate Bonds and Meaning." The conference brought together political leaders, academics, diplomats and civil society representatives from across Africa and beyond to reflect on Nelson Mandela's enduring legacy and its relevance in a rapidly changing international environment.

The Institute was represented by its Deputy Chairperson, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica, and its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Daryl Swanepoel, who participated in several sessions throughout the programme. Ms Sonjica chaired a panel discussion examining the transformative role of education in the philosophies of Nelson Mandela and Cheikh Anta Diop, while Mr Swanepoel served as a panellist in discussions on Africa's response to changing global power dynamics and on the continuing relevance of Mandelaism as a societal project. He also chaired the session on the contribution of the Global South to the emergence of democratic South Africa.

Hosted by the Institut de Transformation Sociale, Coopération Transnationale et Sécurité (ITCSS) in partnership with the Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM) and the Inclusive Society Institute, the conference explored a wide range of contemporary issues, including peace and leadership, post-apartheid South Africa, Ubuntu, education, governance, multilateralism and Africa's place in an evolving global order.

Mr Swanepoel participated in the panel discussion titled "Between De-Westernisation and Americanisation of the World: African Alternatives to the Crisis of Multilateralism," where he argued that the emerging international order presents Africa with an opportunity to exercise greater agency by promoting bridge-building, inclusive multilateralism and principled cooperation rather than alignment with competing geopolitical blocs. He also participated in a second panel entitled "Mandelaism: Political Choices, Strategies for Struggle, and Analysis of the Societal Project," which reflected on the continuing relevance of Mandela's political philosophy for democratic governance and social cohesion in Africa.

Ms Sonjica moderated the panel "The Transformative Virtues of Education in Nelson Mandela and Cheikh Anta Diop: Where is Africa in the Race Towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution?" The discussion considered the central role of education in promoting human development, social justice and Africa's long-term competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.

Reflecting on the conference, Mr Swanepoel noted that the discussions were characterised by a spirit of open engagement and intellectual exchange. "The conference demonstrated the continuing importance of dialogue across disciplines, cultures and political traditions. At a time when the international system is under considerable strain, there is much to be gained from revisiting the principles of leadership, reconciliation and inclusive governance that Mandela embodied, while also asking how they should evolve to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century."