CLA News / 3rd keynote speaker confirmed for 2019 Conference: Sekai Holland

Senator Sekai Holland was the former Zimbabwean Co-Minister of State for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration in the Cabinet of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Senator Holland was appointed as Co-Minister in Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, March 2009; Elected to Senate for Chizhanje Electorate on the edge of Harare, March 2008 national elections; Candidate for MDC MDC Mberengwa East Constituency 2000 and 2005 Parliamentary Elections; Secretary for Policy and Research (MDC) 2006 – 2011.

As the former Zimbabwean Co-Minister of State for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration in the Cabinet of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Senator Holland worked alongside those responsible for her imprisonment and torture. She focused on innovative strategies to better incorporate traditional Zimbabwean cultural beliefs and practices with local, regional and international best practices to help advance the healing process. The new infrastructure for peace in Zimbabwe, as recommended by the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, encourages victims and perpetrators of political violence to acknowledge the history and culture of violence and to address the damage it causes. By doing so it is hoped the country can better build mechanisms to prevent future violence.

Senator Holland has dedicated her life to campaigning for human rights, democracy and the empowerment of woman both in Australia and around the globe. Her courageous and inspirational work was recognised in 2012 with the Sydney Peace Prize, Australia’s only international prize for peace.

Source: advance.org