Marking the anniversary of 161 years since the arrival of Indians to the shores of South Africa and in celebration of 75 years of India’s independence, the Phoenix Child Welfare and Phoenix Ubuntu Forum hosted the high commissioner of India, Sankar Jaideep, and the consulate general of India, Durban, Anish Rajan at the Gandhi Luthuli Peace Park on Wednesday, 17 November.
During the celebration, the guests were given an understanding of the Indian community in modern times, their achievements and strides towards building unity among communities, while mentioning how the July unrest had managed to break relations built since the time of Indian arrival. To mark the day and as a symbolic representation of peace, saplings were planted in the park. High commissioner Jaideep said he was honoured to receive a warm welcome to Phoenix and touched on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Luthuli. “These great leaders are not only remembered because of the work they did but because their ideas have transcended space and generations of time. I think it is a great responsibility for communities to take the lessons and very wise words of these leaders and open channels of communication which builds bridges of friendship, understanding and trust among all communities.”
Sham Maharaj, convenor of the Phoenix Ubuntu Forum, assisted in putting the event together and said by hosting this event the forum is looking for ways to bring about social cohesion, especially in recent times due to the unrest. “Today we hosted the ambassador of India and the head of the Indian Council at the Gandhi Luthuli Peace Park. It was an honour to host them as it was the ambassador’s first visit to the Peace Park. The event also hosted residents of Phoenix, Inanda and Bhambayi who all welcomed the guests. During his speech we heard a very important message about the independence of India and the arrival of Indian indentured labourers in South Africa. He also urged us, as a community, to work together in building peace and unity by look at the legacy left by Gandhi and Luthuli. Former Deputy Mayor of Durban, Logie Naidoo, said the event held great significance as it marked the 161st anniversary of Indians to the shores of South Africa. “Many would recall the journey and the progress made by the Indian community to build good relations with our African brothers and sisters. Together we have built schools, temples and places of recreation for our community and beyond. We are very proud of this legacy. In every field of endeavour, be it sports, politics or business the Indian community has made a significant contribution and today we can celebrate that.”
