Ismail Mahomed: Arts link hands across world
THIS is the text of an acceptance speech that I delivered at a reception last evening when French ambassador Elizabeth Barbier awarded me, on behalf of the French government, the recognition of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Arts and Literature).
“I am indeed honoured and humbled to receive this recognition of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from the government of France. I believe firmly that public diplomacy between different nations has greater agency when it engages the arts.
Soon after the cultural boycott against South Africa was lifted I was exposed to the world of cultural diplomacy through an International Visitors Leadership Grant that I received from the US Embassy. The grant exposed me to a dynamic international family of artists, arts administrators and arts policymakers who have had a profound impact on my career, and which since has played a significant part in enabling me to broker partnerships in more than 32 countries across the globe.
In my late 20s I enthusiastically followed what was happening in the Netherlands at the Culture for Another South Africa conference.
Even though at the time we were in the grips of the state of emergency in the ’80s, the conference in the Netherlands inspired hope. It helped us to envision a future.
It comforted us by letting us know that the world was on our side.
When I walked in the streets of Paris I was overcome with emotion when I stopped at the Dulcie September Boulevard. Paris was a home to many of our exiles.
I remain grateful to France because it continues to be a home to many South African artists – Robyn Orlin, Steven Cohen, Vincent Mantsoe and many more. France celebrates the South African artists who live there and it memorialises those like Gerard Sekoto who died there.
This year at the National Arts Festival, we will celebrate 20 years of collaboration with France through our partnership with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the embassy of France. I am grateful for the opportunity of engaging with the hearts and minds of IFAS director Marion Claudel and her predecessors, Charles Courdent, Laurent Clavel and Benedict Alliot, and their staff whose vision and generosity of spirit continues to offer me the opportunity to provide South African artists and audiences with many enriching and inspiring experiences.
The arts have the power to make us understand each other. They teach us to be tolerant towards each other.
They help us to prosper together. In this time of much local and global conflict, the arts are still the strongest force that encourage us to drop our weapons and to get right into each other's hearts and minds.
I thank the board of directors, the artistic committee, the management and staff of the National Arts Festival, our funders, Standard Bank, the Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, our audiences and our artists who support my vision on how we use the arts to build bridges between local and global communities. I accept the recognition of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in honour of all of you.”
