David Ervine Foundation Annual Memorial Talk 2013

Keynote Speaker: Roelf Meyer

‘The Courage of Leadership: Past Experiences, Current Challenges.’

The Skainos Project, Belfast

The David Ervine Foundation Committee invited me to join them tonight for a private reception at The Skainos Project, Belfast at 7pm, followed by a memorial celebration evening for David at 8pm.

Roelf Meyer joined them as their keynote speaker this year. Meyer is best known being the chief negotiator for the National Party (NP) government of South Africa, and was intensely involved in the negotiations that lead to the settlement of the South African conflict and the end of apartheid. A practising lawyer before entering the political arena, Meyer served in a number of roles including as MP; Deputy Minister of Constitutional Development; and subsequently as Minister of Defence and then as Minister of Constitutional Affairs in the cabinet of former President Nelson Mandela.

Since giving up active political roles in 2000, Meyer has acted as a consultant on peace processes around the world including Rwanda, Bolivia, Kosovo and the Middle East as well as in Northern Ireland. Following on from his membership of the Strategy Committee of the Project on Justice in Times of Transition at Harvard University and as Tip O’Neill Chair in Peace Studies at the University of Ulster in 2001, we welcome him back to Northern Ireland to talk on The Courage of Leadership: Past Experiences, Current Challenges.’

During the evening there was also an awards presentation by the Foundation to their grant recipients for 2013 and musical performances by Féile Women’s Singing Group. 

David Ervine Foundation Committee:

Jackie Redpath MBE (Chair); Jeanette Ervine; John Mc Quillan; Prof Monica McWilliams, Tom Roberts, Dr. Avila Kilmurray, Brendan Mackin, Denis Rowan, Dawn Purvis, Rev. Gary Mason