Professor Irwin Cotler MP, former Canadian Minister of Justice and internationally renowned human rights and legal scholar, was the guest of the United Jewish Campaign (UJC) in South Africa in February 2012. During his visit, he addressed a number of appreciative audiences on a wide range of issues.

Prof Cotler met with a number of South African ministers and deputy ministers. He met separately with Advocate Lawrence Mushwana, Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, as well as with Advocate George Bizos, and several other influential South Africans.

Prof Cotler spoke at a luncheon meeting of FairPlaySA, the communal coordinating structure for combating the delegitmisation of Israel in South Africa, where he powerfully outlined how anti-Israel views have been masked or "laundered" through discourse around the United Nations, International Law, Human Rights and combating racism.

At a function to commemorate 100 years since the birth of Raoul Wallenberg - the Swedish diplomat who managed to save an estimated 100 000 Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust - jointly hosted by the SAJBD (Gauteng Council), the Johannesburg Holocaust Centre, the High Commission of Canada, the Hungarian Embassy, the Swedish Embassy, the Israeli Embassy and the US Embassy. Prof Cotler spoke movingly to a packed auditorium at Beyachad about Wallenberg's life and legacy. Guests included Canadian High Commissioner Adéle Dion, Hungarian Ambassador Béla László, Johannes Oljelund, Counsellor Political Affairs, Swedish Embassy, the Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador of Israel Dov Segev-Steinberg and Ya'acov Finkelstein, and Earl T. Miller, US Consul-General Johannesburg. Cotler emphasised how one person's choices can make a profound difference to thousands. Cotler was part of a commission of enquiry into the fate of Wallenberg, who was arrested by the Soviets in 1945 and then disappeared.  Cotler also drew lessons, including the importance of continual Holocaust remembrance and education, the power of words and how they can lead to unspeakable deeds, and how evil flourishes if observers do not act to prevent it. He spoke about Rwanda and Sudan, and how atrocities were allowed to continue even though the world knew what was happening. See the photos on our Facebook Page.

On 21 February, Prof Cotler addressed over 450 students in the International Relations Department at the University of the Witwatersrand. He reflected on his first trip to South Africa in 1981 and the many he has had since, as well as contemporary international geopolitical developments including Iran and the so-called "Arab Spring". He fielded a range of incisive questions from  students.

Prof Cotler led a seminar for the Hate Crimes Working Group (on which the Board is a founder member), hosted by the Sonke Gender Justice Network in Braamfontein. There he discussed the relationships between hate speech and hate crimes, jurisprudence in this area in Canada and South Africa, and the tensions between free speech and hate speech. See the photos on our Facebook page.

He addressed a number of community leaders at an IAU-UCF lunch at the ENS offices in Sandton, before attending a meeting with several South African editors based in Johannesburg.

The Cape Town leg of his visit included meetings with the parliamentary portfolio committees on Justice and International Relations, senior officials and functions with Jewish community organisations and broader audiences.

His inspiring insights have reached many diverse groups in South Africa, and South African Jewry was truly priveleged once again to host Professor Cotler on our shores. 

On returning to Canada, he urged his government to revise their discriminatory visa policy towards anti-apartheid activists, including the ANC.  Several papers covered the story, incuding Business Day and The Epoch Times

Read Wendy Kahn's column in "Jewish Life" about Prof Cotler's visit