30 April to 8 May 2023 marked the Mont Fleur Workshop for the 2023 Tutu Fellowship’s Cohort of Associates. We were blessed with a remarkable gathering, in one of the most beautiful spots on our beloved continent.
24 Associates came together from Cote d'Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda, spanning the worlds of consulting, banking, insurance, civil society, renewable energy, politics, policy and entrepreneurship. The group brought a wealth of diversity and experience, together with open minds and open hearts to the retreat, contributing to a powerful learning experience for all.
We had the gift of listening to seasoned political leaders such as Advocate Bience Gawanas and AFLI Board Chair Trevor Manuel, who shared both their personal leadership lessons and their challenges for this generation of leaders. Nhlanhla Dlamini shared his entrepreneurial business journey – both the highs and lows – while Adrian Enthoven reflected on what becomes possible when business leaders are guided by a philosophy of Shared Value, together with trusted partners from all other sectors of society.
Advocate Githu Muigai encouraged the group to take accountability for their influence on the public domain – whether that is directly through political action or otherwise, and Prof Carlos Lopes, as always, challenged us all to interrogate and challenge popular narratives in order to form our own. As part of our visit to the Tutu Legacy Foundation we had the gift of learning from Zanele Morrison, who facilitated our reflections and shared with us her own evolving story of belonging.
As always, the unfolding of this week through reflection, conversation and integration, revealed new layers of ourselves, encouraging us to respond to a deeper leadership calling than perhaps the one we had grown accustomed to. These moments are not without challenge, yet by the time we left Mont Fleur we knew in our bones that this tribe would always have our back.
We will be meeting again in Oxford and London in September, in order to conclude our shared learning journey and formally become Fellows!
Judy Malan is Programme Director of the Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship and a 2006 Tutu Fellow.
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