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Delegation Leader: Elizabeth W. Adkins, CA
Former President, Society of American Archivists
Program Dates: Program Dates: March 1-11, 2010
A delegation of professionals specializing in global archives management has been selected to participate in bilateral exchanges with their professional counterparts in South Africa, under the auspices of People to People Ambassador Programs.
Proposed Itinerary
The preliminary mission statement and direction for the delegation have been defined by the delegation leader in consultation with our overseas planning team. The initial topics of discussion are listed below. These will be further refined to incorporate the specialized areas of interest and expertise of the delegates. You will be asked to provide a brief biography and specify your particular areas of interest for this delegation, and your input will be used to customize the professional meetings.
- Comparing and contrasting the role of archives in government, universities, and private organizations in the two countries
- Access to archives in the U.S. and South Africa
- The role of archives and archivists in the pre- and post-apartheid eras
- The relationship between archives and records management in the U.S. and in South Africa
- Electronic records management
- Reference services in the digital age
- Professional associations in South Africa versus the U.S.
A final, detailed itinerary will be provided approximately 30 days prior to departure.
The professional counterparts you meet throughout the program will be invited to join the delegation for a meal to allow further interaction with your hosts.
SOUTH AFRICA
With a dynamic fusion of African, European, and Asian influences, South Africa is a place of vibrant cultural diversity. In the early 1990s, the nation emerged from years under the oppressive apartheid regime and evolved into a stable modern democracy under the inspirational leadership of Nelson Mandela, one of the world’s most respected political figures. South Africa is home to an enormous variety of birds and animals and is one of the best places in the world for big game encounters.
Monday, Day 1: Depart for Johannesburg
Depart from the domestic gateway city.
Tuesday, Day 2: Johannesburg
South Africa’s wealth is based primarily in the Golden Reef that makes up the Witwatersrand (Ridge of White Waters), of which Johannesburg is the center. Founded in 1886, Johannesburg has become the country’s center for commercial, industrial, and financial activity and development.
Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to your hotel, where dinner will be provided this evening.
Wednesday, Day 3: Johannesburg
Morning Program Briefing: Discuss the political and cultural diversity of South Africa and receive further information on the delegation.
Professional Overview: Orient delegates in their profession in South Africa.
Delegates and guests will depart after lunch to experience Soweto, a city of stark contrasts. The massive SOuth WEstern TOwnship of Johannesburg is the biggest city in South Africa, heart of the Freedom Struggle, and home to a plethora of peoples, languages, economic groups, traditions, and modernity. This sprawling settlement contains the only street in the world that was home to two Nobel Prize winners (Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu).
Delegates and guests will also spend some time with the delightful and enchanting children of Orlando Children’s Home. Orlando Children’s Home is an oasis of care and protection for orphaned and vulnerable children of the community, as well as a center for skills development and income-generation projects. Orlando Children’s Home was started by, accountable to, and run by the community —which makes it a unique gem and landmark of the area.
Thursday, Day 4: Johannesburg
Morning and Afternoon Professional Meetings (discussion topics will be finalized as the delegation forms).
Guest program:
Guests will venture to Pretoria, South Africa’s political capital. Pretoria has a stunning architectural and cultural history. At the Voortrekker Monument, take a moment to reflect upon the importance and long-term repercussions of the actions of the first whites to conquer South Africa’s interior and northern territories. The monument’s location also provides beautiful views of Pretoria. Visit Church Square and the Union Buildings, the seat of the South African national government and site of Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration.
Friday, Day 5: Johannesburg to Cape Town
This morning delegates and guests will embark on an exploration of the darkest years in South African history at the Apartheid Museum. Likened to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., this impressive museum takes you into the beating heart of the Freedom Struggle, the grip of the National Party's regime during the apartheid era, and the giddy days of liberation. The physical and electronic exhibits illustrate the passionate events and human stories of apartheid’s dramatic, disturbing, and emotional saga and bring you through the revelation of the world’s only negotiated revolution.
The delegation will fly to the southern city of Cape Town late this afternoon. Cape Town, the oldest port in southern Africa, is regularly heralded as one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Situated in the far southwestern corner of Africa, Cape Town is physically separated from the rest of the continent by a mountain range. Enjoy a leisurely walk about town and dine at one of the many remarkable restaurants Cape Town has to offer.
Saturday, Day 6: Cape Town
Delegates and guests will spend the day enjoying the sights in and around Cape Town. Explore the countryside via a coach tour of the Cape Peninsula, including the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, and the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Point) in Table Mountain National Park. Extraordinary care has been taken to protect the environmental integrity of the area. A reserve of indigenous flora and fauna and home of the unique Cape Floral Kingdom, Cape Town’s striking natural beauty makes it a destination for both foreign and local visitors.
Continue on your exploration after lunch, including a visit to see the rare African penguin in its natural surroundings at Boulders Beach.
Sunday, Day 7: Cape Town
The day is at leisure for independent exploration.
Monday, Day 8: Cape Town
Morning and Afternoon Professional Meetings (discussion topics will be finalized as the delegation forms).
Guest program:
Guests will escape to the Cape Winelands, where breathtaking vistas, majestic mountain backdrops, rolling vineyards, and quaint Cape Dutch homesteads characterize the famous and award-winning wine estates whose cellars you will visit. Experience the rich history and culture of Stellenbosch, a historic Dutch colonial town, now dominated by one of the country’s best universities.
Tuesday, Day 9: Cape Town
Morning Professional Meeting (discussion topics will be finalized as the delegation forms).
Guest program:
Guests will experience Table Mountain, an iconic symbol of Cape Town and a World Heritage Site. Table Mountain provides a stunning backdrop for the city. Ascend via a revolving aerial cable car for a chance to enjoy stunning views of the entire Cape Peninsula, the Atlantic and Indian oceans, Cape Town city, beaches, and the harbor.
The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore independently. Delegates and guests might opt to explore Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the heart of one of the most beautiful and compelling cities on the planet. Offering magnificent sea and mountain vistas, it is renowned for exciting shopping and entertainment venues, cafés, restaurants, and markets.
A farewell banquet on the final evening in South Africa will give delegates and guests a chance to recap their People to People experiences.
Wednesday, Day 10: Depart for Home
Program Extensions
Optional Pre-Program Extension to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Optional Post-Program Extension to Kruger National Park
Please inquire for further information upon registration.
We work diligently to ensure that the activities described here are available on your program. In rare cases, scheduling conflicts, delays, weather, or circumstances beyond our control may result in program changes. If substitution is required, we make every effort to feature comparable events to retain the content and quality of the program.
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