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RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011
South African High Commissioner Dr Geoff Randal of New Zealand to South Africa hosted an 'Open House' to witness the opening of the Rugby World Cup 2011 on Friday, 9 September and to watch the first game, New Zealand vs Tonga. Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the participating nations joined the occasion.
Pictured at the screening (l-r) High Commissioner Beniamino Salacakau (Fiji), Mrs Safta, Ambassador Donald Gips (USA), Ambassador Radu Gabriel Safta(Romania), Ambassador Jacques Lapouge (France) and High Commissioner Geoff Randal (New Zealand).
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was on an official visit to New Zealand and witnessed the spectacular opening ceremony.
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AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKERS IN SA
Pictured (l-r) Australian Filmmakers Mr David Valivedoo and Mr Sieh Mchawala and Acting High Commissioner Mr Peter Budd
Acting High Commissioner of Australia, Mr Peter Budd hosted a reception and outdoor film screening of works by two Australian filmmakers, Mr Sieh Mchawala and Mr David Valivedoo in Pretoria on 13 September 2011.
The filmmakers are visiting South Africa from 9-15 September with the support of the Australian High Commission, to participate in the 9th annual Tri-Continental Film Festival and an associated bi-annual People to People International Documentary Conference.  
The Tri-Continental Film Festival (TCFF) is an arts and cultural initiative showcasing films from or concerned with the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia. The TCFF aims to deepen understanding of human rights issues and afford a substantive voice to marginalized communities.
Two one hour documentaries were screened by the respective filmmakers were screened. After the first screening Mr Peter Budd remarked that their is potential in every child and if this potential is not realized it is a loss to society. He also commented on the similarities between Australia and South Africa and the challenges they face.
Mr Valivedoo's 'Voices from the Cape' and clips from Mr Sieh Mchawala's 'Remote Transmissions'  was screened.
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Excellent prospects for South Africans at the 17th SAARC summit

 
By Dr Srimal Fernando,
South Asia Correspondent for Foreign Exchange

South Asia is home to nearly 1.5 billion people or about 22 percent of the world’s population. South Asian region includes the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan and The Maldives. The regions economy has grown dramatically largely as a result of opening up its economies to the rest of the world and adopting market-oriented policies. According to the World Bank report of 2011, South Asia has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, averaging 6 percent a year over the past 20 years. Most of the countries in South Asia   are close to graduating from least developing country status to lower middle income countries. The significance in socio-economic development of the South Asian countries has been recognized since the inception of SAARC.
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THE YASUNI INITIATIVE
Covering nearly 2.5million acres of primary tropical rainforest in the territory of Ecuador, the Yasuni National Park is an area of extreme biodiversity, recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Oganization - UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve and the ancestral territory of the indigenous people living there in voluntary isolation. A few years ago, large deposits of heavy crude oil have been confirmed in the underground of Yasuni National Park.
In the spirit of shared responsibility and caring for the World's environment, the Yasuni Iniative seeks support from Governments, foundations, the private sector and the public at large. Taking into consideration Ecuador's foregoing of oil extraction from the Yasuni National Park, the Ecuadorian government hopes to receive contributions to finance sustainable development programs to support a robust renewal energy programme, avoid deforestation, promote the conservation of ecosystems and advance social development.
For the full media release visit www.thediplomaticsociety.co.za
The Embassy of Ecuador in South Africa can be contacted on +27 12 3461662
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