While driving, I caught the tail end of a repeat radio broadcast of an interview with my late father in law. He was a wise man with many wise words, but one line from this interview stuck with me: “Ons kan alleen voortbestaan deur medebestaan.” We can only continue to exist if we co-exist. Sounds obvious, but there is a lot to that one simple line.
Co-existence implies that more than one party must be able to live alongside each other to ensure survival and success for all. Co-existence therefore not only demands of you to respect others, to be aware of their challenges and support and care for them, but it also recognises your own rights and needs. It comes down to another famous line: Charity begins at home. When your own family is taken care of, you firstly don’t have to rely on others and secondly, might be able to help or support wider than your own circle.
But while we often see both these wise lines in practice in our everyday lives, they have a much wider application than our individual and immediate surroundings. They are also political statements with a lot of impact and of course there is always more than one interpretation. The National Health Care bill might be a good example. The idea behind it seems all about co-existence, but whether the reality would be to the benefit of all, is quite a debate. Co-existence does imply a certain level of trust and in such an instance, not only in the partners trying to co-exist, but also in the authority that proposes the collaboration. Everyone’s heart has to be in the right place.
Dr Rupert’s quote was a partial reference to the Peace Parks project. This conservation initiative was founded as the Peace Parks Foundation on 1 February 1997, by HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Nelson Mandela and Dr Anton Rupert facilitating the establishment of transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa. Co-existence is at the heart of the Peace parks, but its goal is much more than mere existence. 27 years later, it has had much success towards achieving its dream to re-establish, renew and preserve large functional ecosystems and continues to focus on harmony between humans and nature through the protection and regeneration of natural and cultural heritage.
In that for me lies a very important element of co-existence. It is not only to live peacefully alongside each other. It is also about giving each other the opportunity to flourish. But for that to happen, we first need security and peace and to quote Nelson Mandela: “I know of no political movement, no philosophy, and no ideology which does not agree with the peace parks concept as we see it going into fruition today. It is a concept that can be embraced by all. In a world beset by conflict and division, peace is one of the cornerstones of the future. Peace parks are building blocks in this process, not only in our region, but potentially the entire world.”
We need peace and security in how we live together every day. What is required for this, might imply different contributions from everyone involved, but if we can find that sweet spot where everyone feels secure in their own identity, at peace with their neighbours and confident in their existence and survival, then we can focus on the next step. To not merely exist, but to flourish. It is such a beautiful idea. How do you not agree with Mandela? Is this not what we all want? Why is it so hard? Might it be that somehow, somewhere, someone’s motivation is not as pure as it should be?
Of course, we are played by political parties leading up to the election later this month. They all have an agenda and it is up to us to find an agenda we believe in and leaders we can trust. This is not unique to the South African situation. We see the same scenario play out globally. The US race for the presidency, an assassination attempt on the Slovakian prime minister, the power struggle in East Europe, the rising death toll in Gaza… Even under the watchful eye of the whole world, with peace talks and threats of sanctions, co-existence is still a real struggle.
And then, when a tragedy happens like the collapse of the partially built block of flats in George in the Southern Cape, you see a community pull together and support each other and you recognise uncorrupted co-existence in its purest form. It comes with challenges, but is possible and it is beautiful, whether it plays off in the intimacy of your own household or the expanse of the global political scene. To ensure a successful existence, we should remind ourselves and each other of the value of co-existence and we should make sure that those in power, who have to guide us towards this ideal, do it from a place of honesty and care.