VANDERBIJLPARK. – The event started with a colour walk from the RAG Farm to building A13, where a Pride Wall that depicts the LGBTIQA+ Rainbow Pride Flag was unveiled.
The pride flag is an international symbol of gay pride and the fight for equal rights and acceptance across the globe. The original rainbow flag was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978.
Event organiser Lebo Maekela said the objective of the event was to make the LGBT+ community more visible and to highlight their rights.
Maekela says,”Many of us are still faced with stigma and persecution and live our lives in a state of fear. The whole purpose of this march is to say we’re not going anywhere and to highlight that we have the right to exist. We want our queer and Transgender community to feel seen and celebrated through this event.”
Dr Chalufu, who was a guest speaker said the NWU Pride Wall was a symbol of inclusivity. He said that when the LGBTQIA+ community faced discrimination, an event like this is even more important to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
“The wall is the affirmation and care and shows the institution’s support for and embrace of members of the LGBTIQA+ community. Through this wall, the NWU stands against oppression, homophobia and any form of injustice that threatens the existence and livelihood of members of the LGBTIQA+ community,” Chalafu said.
Professor Robert spoke about transformational leadership and urged revellers to make their lives visible for change. He highlighted the importance of managing emotional relationships and the emotions as a person belonging to LGBTQI+ community.
“If you want to change yourself and how people look at you, hear and see you, it is so important in transformational leadership to understand how to manage emotional relationships as a person who belongs to the LGBTIQA+ community.
“Without understanding how to manage emotions, and how to influence emotions of the people around you it is very difficult to transform the communities in which we live. Transformation is not simply about raising flags, it’s about influencing people,” he said.
He also paid tribute to the late Sam Junior Mbatha, a North-West University employee and an LGBTQI+ community activist, who was murdered in June last year in what is suspected to be a hate crime.
“Sam was an example of someone who made an example of someone gave his life for change in our space,” he said.
