Thematic Approach

GIRES, the Global Institute for Research Education & Scholarship dedicates the conference  to commemorating the 10th anniversary of the passing of Nelson Mandela, the iconic leader and global symbol of peace, justice, and reconciliation. This conference aims to honor Mandela’s remarkable life and legacy, reflect on his contributions to the struggle against apartheid, and explore the relevance of his teachings in today’s world.

We wish to explore Nelson Mandela’s vision and reflecting on his commitment to social justice, equality, and the pursuit of a harmonious society based on human rights, democracy, and reconciliation. Also we wish to evaluate his model of leadership and also assessing the influence of Mandela’s leadership and his role in the struggle against apartheid, as well as his contributions to peace-building, conflict resolution, and human rights globally. In addition we hope to explore his legacy in contemporary society along with promoting dialogue, empathy, and understanding as tools for social transformation and community building, justice and reconciliation.

GIRES, dedicated to interdisciplinarity, invites scholars from diverse fields including but not limited to philosophy, religion, theology, sociology, anthropology, history, literature, art, economics, geography, cultural and political studies to contribute to the discussion share insights, and pay tribute to the life and work of Nelson Mandela. Topics for presentations and discussions may include, but are not limited to the folioing suggestions.

Proposed Topics 

-Nelson Mandela’s life and leadership journey
-Mandela’s impact on the struggle against apartheid
-Mandela’s approach to reconciliation and nation-building
-Human rights and social justice in the legacy of Mandela
-Mandela’s contributions to peace-building and conflict resolution
-Mandela’s influence on global governance and diplomacy
-Mandela’s vision for education, healthcare, and socio-economic development
-Mandela’s role in promoting gender equality and empowering youth

Proposed Formats (Lingua franca: English)
-Individual papers (GIRES will included it in a panel)
-Panels (up to 4 presentations-chaired by one of the presenters or appointed by GIRES)
-Roundtable presentations (chaired by one of the presenters or appointed by GIRES)
-Poster presentations
-Student presentations (one paper presented by up to 3 young scholars)
-Keynote speech (depending on the time availability)
-Pre-recorder presentation (s) (Asynchronous Platform)
-Pre-recorder presentation (s) (Synchronous-live- Sessions: live participation of presenter (s) during the Q&A sessions)

Publication Opportunity 
The Organizing Committee and GIRES Press will publish the most powerful and dynamic presentations of the conference and include them
in a collective volume in the form of short articles and/or long essays. For more information please contact us

Live Sessions Recording
All participants have the option to have their presentations recorded (during live sessions) in HD quality. The recordings will be uploaded to GIRES media for unlimited access and dissemination.

Asynchronous Options
All participants have the option to have their presentations (video/audio/text) uploaded to our Virtual Platform. All  registered participants will have access to the material for 5 days.

Our proposed topics & formats are not restrictive and we invite additional germane ideas
Due to the restrictions of Corona Crisis our event (for the time being) will take place VIRTUALLY

We are delighted to introduce Dr. Riaan Eksteen, an exceptional individual with a distinguished career spanning 27 years in the South African Foreign Service. Dr. Eksteen will be the esteemed Plenary Speaker at our upcoming conference, and he will share his invaluable insights and experiences as an ambassador of South Africa during the historic presidency of Nelson Mandela.

Dr. Riaan Eksteen was  a member of the South African Foreign Service for 27 years. Served in the Foreign Ministry’s Namibia Division 1964-1967; S.A. Embassy in Washington D.C. 1968-1973; head of the UN and Namibian division in the Foreign Ministry 1973-1976; Ambassador and Head of Mission at UN, New York, 1976-1981; Head of Planning in the Foreign Ministry 1981-1983; Ambassador in Windhoek 1990-1991; Ambassador at the UN, Geneva, 1992-1995; Ambassador in Ankara 1995-1997 (also accredited to Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

He has been the Director-General of the South African Broadcasting Corporation 1993-1988 and a Political Analyst at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange 1988-1990.

From 1998 active as an international consultant and business facilitator. His Permanent Residency status in Namibia since February 2000, direct involvement with the Namibian Independence process for nearly 15 years and assignment as SA’s first Ambassador to Namibia, assure him access to prominent members of the Namibian body politic and business community on national and regional levels and with whom he maintains close personal and working relationships.

Obtained his MA degree (Cum Laude) in Political Science in 1974 from University of South Africa with the thesis entitled: “The Role of the USA Senate in Foreign Affairs”. Ph.D. was awarded by the University of Johannesburg in October 2018 for his thesis with the title: “The Role of the High Courts of the United States of America, South Africa and the European Union in Foreign Affairs”. Authored an article: “Does your company have a foreign policy and the instruments to execute it?”

Springer/Asser Press published his book in July 2019 with the title: “The Role of the Highest Courts of the United States of America and South Africa, and the European Court of Justice in Foreign Affairs”. Published numerous articles on topics related to issues dealt with in his book. Have addressed several international meetings on similar topics.

Dr. Eksteen is a member of GIRES’ Operations Board.