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Greetings to everyone present here. I am Shreya Upadhyay, a student social activist from India and I am honoured to get this delightful opportunity to share my thoughts about one of the harshest wounds on humanity that is The Apartheid system of institutionalised racial segregation. It existed in South Africa and Namibia from the early 18th century to the 1990s.

Segregation results in division of facilities and opportunities between non-whites and whites.

The regime sought to suppress black culture and promote white culture. This led to the destruction of cultural artefacts as well as suppression of black cultural expression.

Separate educational standards were established for non-whites. South Africa’s educational system existed in total favour of the white population. Schools for non-white children either did not exist or were in the poorest of conditions. Schools for white, on the other hand, were given all of the advantages. The Bantu Education Act (1953) provided for the creation of state-run schools for non-white children with the aim of providing them training limited to manual labour and menial jobs that the government deemed suitable for those of their race.

This all not only affected the economic condition of the non-whites but also affected the country’s development and progress because most of the country’s population was doing minimal jobs and unskilled labour work. The apartheid promoted the economic interests of white at the expense of black’s economic interests. This also led to significant inequality between whites and blacks in terms of income and wealth.

Apartheid also had an impact on science as practised within South Africa. Since 1960 South Africa and Namibia have felt themselves in a hostile environment and have been increasing their defence budget substantially. Suppressing 11 million blacks, the government hurt themselves as well.

By outlawing nearly aspect of life, the apartheid regime was able to arrest, torture, and relocate individuals as the police saw fit. Although both Namibia and South Africa suffered under apartheid, each had their own agenda for independence. Despite the abolition of apartheid legislation, the countries still faces its impact today. Settlements in major cities such as Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban are divided on a racial basis.

We can just hope not to witness such human calamity and adversity again by eradicating haterade from everyone's thoughts, as Nelson Mandela said 'if one can learn to hate, then they can be taught to love as love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.'

Thank you