2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Nelson Mandela's grandson visits SCSU
Ali Tweten
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News
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"I did not come here as Nelson Mandela's grandson. I'm here as a youth activist," Dlamini said.
Dlamini, sponsored by the African Students Association and co-sponsored by Multicultural Student Services, outlined the eight goals the U.N. would like to achieve by the year 2015, created at the Millennium Summit in 2000.
"These goals are the most important goals to focus on, because if we do not focus on them, our planet will not be sustainable," Dlamini said.
The goals include everything from eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, to promoting gender equality and combating HIV/AIDS.
Dlamini's mission is to get young people involved with these goals and promote them.
"I get involved because I care. I had a choice with what to do with my life, and I chose to make a contribution to humanity," Dlamini said
Dlamini is an advocate for youth activism and started the Ubuntu Institute for Young Social Entrepreneurs. The Ubuntu Institute sends students to South Africa to participate in service learning projects and cultural exchange projects.
"It's not so much what you have that really matters," Dlamini said. "What matters is what you do with it. Your means should never matter what contributions you make to humanity."
Dlamini said many students say they don't have enough money or that they live too far away to help, but they can contribute with the strengths they have.
"I believe we should inform our generation that we can overcome adversity," Dlamini said. "I am very optimistic that through young people we can stop the spread of HIV/AIDS."
Dlamini told students what they could do to get involved, including being informed, building awareness, joining a campaign to end poverty and simply committing to something.
He stressed that youth is 18 percent of the world population, and he would like to see young people be more involved.
With the Ubuntu Institute, Dlamini said his goal is to expand the St. Cloud program to Swaziland.
Dlamini was born and raised in the Kingdom of Swaziland. He recently graduated from Tufts University in Boston with a degree in international relations, but said he did not always know that he wanted to be a humanitarian.
"I had no idea that I was about to turn out this way," Dlamini said. "After I was invited to a U.N. conference, I was never the same. It changed my life."
Dlamini has spent much of his time speaking around the world and said he loves his work.
"If just one person in the room gets it, that's worth it to me," he said.
Dlamini concluded his speech by answering questions from students and thanking the African Students Association.