Be an ‘active citizen’ in your community
The photographer spoke about the presidents he photographed around the world, dancers, philanthropists and other fascination human beings from different cultures.
IT’S safe to say that anyone who attended the Robin Hood Foundation fundraising breakfast last week, left knowing what an active citizen was.
Also read: Trudie makes history on the train track
Both guest speakers, Cindy Norcott and Matthew Williams, explained this to supporters through their interpretations at the breakfast which was held at The Pencil Club in uMhlanga.
Norcott, who is the founder of the organisation, spoke to the crowd about what she saw during her recent travels while she was on a sabbatical.
“I noticed people where so proud of where they live. They were actively involved in their communities. In Australia, people mentor each other and are doing the stuff that matter,” she said.
She also spoke on ‘entitlement mentality’ that we have when we moan about the crumbling infrastructure and everything else that’s going wrong in the world.
“People yearn for the good old days, but who were they good for? We have to change our thinking and look towards the good new days are ahead of us. We pay our rates and taxes but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to be active citizens in our communities and find solutions,” she said.
With Mandela Day coming up in July, she encouraged businesses and individuals to do voluntary work for more than 67 minutes, only once a year.
Willman, who is a photographer and author captivated the audience with his talk on his worldly experiences as a photographer where he has photograped many great things and humans.
“When we’re faced with any situation in life we always ask what are our options. Options limit us. It’s a boundary. We are designed for dreams and goals and not options,” he said.
“I journeyed for 10 years trying to find Nelson Mandela and who he was… it didn’t exist in his face but rather in his hands. He had been through a river of turmoil to come out a better human being – him and the others who were incarcerated on Robin Island. How do these men incarcerated for the freedom of others walk out of this island preaching forgiveness?” he asked.
The photograph which Williams took of Mandela was used in the logo of the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s 46664 HIV Aids campaign.
“We have that power as ordinary citizens. We all have the ability, purpose and imagination to be something great and to be active citizens,” he added.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
