I am very pleased to report that on her birthday on Friday the 3^rd July 2015, my fellow PASCAL Director, Professor Catherine Odora Hoppers has been awarded the Nelson Mandela Distinguished Africanist Award. This makes my birthday today special too.

The Award is given to an African who has distinguished him/herself in the public leadership positions and her nomination reads:

“Your nomination for this award has been informed by your dogged pursuit of the total liberation for the continent through the promotion of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education”

Here is what Catherine herself says:

The award was handed over physically to me by Thabo Mbeki who is the Patron on the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, on behalf 4 major institutes of Unisa (the Archie Mafeje Institute, The Institute of Global Dialogue, Institute for African Renaissance Studies and the Thabo Mbeki Leadership Institute), and the University of Texas who is in charge of bringing the African Diaspora in as the Africa Unions 6^th Province. To Unisa through the Vice Chancellor I say, the Lord is on our side! Let’s keep on!

Looking back, I cannot forget the hard work from my Fellows who joined me in this struggle, some from the beginning, some from the time I initiated this Chair, and some who has just joined. You have given me support in untold ways, and of course, in your many ways -- to let me carry out this task. Through you, I have learned that mere “talk” avoids the “action”, but to shape the words that can vibrate!

I would like to thank especially the Elders who gave me the National Pioneers Award in 2014; and the South African National Department of Science and Technology who is in no doubt that handled delicately but firmly, IKS is the missing link in all facets of development irrespective of the sector. I am committed to what we started 17 years ago to make it a reality globally!

In this light, the Department of Science and Technology have decided to upscale my UNISA November Retreats from an inter-university level to a National Level in partnership with the Human Science Research Council. The move of the 8^th SARCHI Retreat to a national level is intended to put content and purpose to the DST’s Human and Social Dynamics in the operationalization of Development Grand Challenge underpinning DST’s 10-Year Innovation Plan!

On top of that, in November 2015, I will join the Director General of WIPO Mr Francis Gurry, the Japanese Patent Office, and the African Union in Dakar in a High Level Panel to discuss the Intellectual Property Issues for an Emerging Africa.

To my students I say this: your “itch” is the key to your realization that something is missing. “Own it”, and “Own up to it” going forward!!!