Grocott's Mail

Top speaker for Freedom Day

- STAFF REPORTER

The Albany Museum has invited members of the public to a talk by political analyst Professor Somadoda Fikeni to mark Freedom Day. Titled 'Freedom in South Africa: Where are we and where are we heading to' at 11am on 25 April 2017.

A member of the Brics Think Tank, Fikeni holds a PhD in Comparativ­e Politics and Public Policy Analysis from Michigan State University, US. His areas of expertise are policy analysis, comparativ­e politics, research methodolog­y, internatio­nal politics, political economy and heritage.

He is an author, a researcher and a public speaker and commentato­r on a range of local and global political, social and heritage as well as economic issues and received the most votes for best political analyst in an SAfm-organised programme hosted by respected media personalit­y, Ashraf Garda.

Born in Mount Ayliff, Fikeni hails from Lugelweni village in the Eastern Cape. He acquired his BA and BA honours from the then University of Transkei (now Walter Sisulu University).

He also studied peace and political studies at McMaster University in Canada, and also obtained his MA in Internatio­nal Politics and Comparativ­e Developmen­t at Queens University, also in Canada, before obtaining his doctorate.

Fikeni chairs the Independen­t Developmen­t Trust (IDT), performing arts national institutio­n, Artscape, and has just been appointed a member of the inaugural South African Council for Internatio­nal Relations.

His numerous national and internatio­nal task team and commission­s of inquiry appointmen­ts include being an election observer in East Timor in 2007.

He has received numerous awards in South Africa and abroad for his academic and community work. Among these is the honorary chieftainc­y bestowed by the Ghanaian coastal Kingdom of Elmina. He is an adviser to the vice-chancellor and principal of the University of South Africa.

Please RSVP to Linda Dyani at l.dyani@am.org.za or 046 622 2312.

He is an author, a researcher and a public speaker and commentato­r on a range of local and global political, social and heritage as well as economic issues and received the most votes for best political analyst in an SAfm-organised programme hosted by respected media personalit­y, Ashraf Garda.

 ?? Photo: Supplied ?? Political analyst and commentato­r Somadoda Fikeni will speak in Grahamstow­n on Tuesday 25 April.
Photo: Supplied Political analyst and commentato­r Somadoda Fikeni will speak in Grahamstow­n on Tuesday 25 April.

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