President Ian Khama to give keynote address at 2011 Drivers of Change and Investing in the Future awards

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President of Botswana, Ian Khama

On 3 November 2011, the Southern Africa Trust and the Mail & Guardian newspaper will host the annual Investing in the Future and Drivers of Change awards gala dinner at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

This year, the President of Botswana, Ian Khama, will be the keynote speaker at the awards dinner. The awards will also host guests of honour including Ms Graça Machel and the former Prime Minister and current Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Dr Theo Ben Gurirab. Dr Gurirab has also been nominated in one of the award categories.

The awards recognize individuals and organizations from across southern Africa that are making a real impact in developing effective policies and strategies to overcome poverty. The awards hold up living examples of inclusive attitudes, innovative practices, and effective processes that build social trust amongst the different groups in society for better development results. They recognise those who are driving change to create the best conditions to overcome poverty in southern Africa.

The Drivers of Change component of the awards is presented by the Southern Africa Trust in four categories: civil society, business, government, and individual. The Investing in the Future component of the awards is presented by the Mail & Guardian newspaper in several other categories such as Investing in Education and Investing in Life. With the merger of the previously separate Southern Africa Trust and Mail & Guardian awards in the civil society and business categories respectively, the awards have been streamlined to offer even greater accolades to winners in these categories.

“Each year, the quality of nominations for these awards improves. Among this year’s winners are some of the finest examples of real progress being made to engage all sectors of our societies in a cooperative effort to overcome poverty,” said Neville Gabriel, executive director of the Southern Africa Trust.

Journalists are invited to cover the event. For interviews with award winners or for more information about the awards please contact Zanele Bingwa, Corporate  Communications Manager, Southern Africa Trust, at tel. +27 83 646 8233  or go to  www.southernafricatrust.org<http://sat.kidzafrica.co.za/kidznet/external/?l=c30fee02-1ccc-4f94-a200-a26315c4cdb3>