The 18th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) has established an internship programme aimed at empowering young people, in honour of the late Nelson Mandela. The IORA Nelson Mandela Be The Legacy Internship Programme was launched as South Africa and the world celebrates the centenary of the icon’s birthday.
On November 2, the IORA held its Council of Ministers meeting in Durban which was held under the theme “IORA – Uniting the Peoples of Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East through Enhanced Co-operation for Peace, Stability and Sustainable Development”, where the plan to launch the programme was announced.
IORA was established through the vision of former South African President Nelson Mandela, when 14 member states founded the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) in March 1997. Currently, the membership of IORA is sitting at twenty member states, including Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates.
Speaking at the event, the minister of international relations and cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu encouraged IORA Member States to in young people.
“Madiba loved young people and he strongly believed that education is the most powerful weapon that can change the world,” she said.
Sisulu added that “IORA Member States and its Dialogue Partners can follow this simple truth and invest in young people.”
The pledged IORA Nelson Mandela Be The Legacy Internship Programme is aimed at empowering young people under the age of 30 years old from IORA member states with work experience in their respective fields of study.
The date of the internship programme launched has been proposed for July 18, 2019; the day Nelson Mandela would have turned 101 years old. Minister Sisulu indicated that South Africa intends to submit its request for the first intake.
