20.500.12592/vqr70j
From Dakar to democracy: a history of Idasa
1 January 2007
Summary
It has been said that an understanding of the past is the only reliable guide for the future. South Africans would do well to be reminded of that. As a nation South Africans are expert at complaining mightily about the present and compulsively predicting the future, but it seems share a collective amnesia when it comes to the past. Smoothing over the sharp edges of history is one thing; ignoring memory is short-sighted. Anniversaries are times for celebrating, they are also opportunities to look back and take stock. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Idasa, we celebrate too 20 years of democracy-building in South Africa. As we consider how we have changed as an organisation, we are reminded of how far South Africa has come as a nation.
