African leaders from all walks of life gathered in Johannesburg from January 12 to January 16 to discuss ways of dealing with political and religious differences and Africa’s negative image. Their discussions formed part of the annual Trust the Difference Leadership Programme meeting which was organised by the British Council.

This meeting was aimed at giving leaders a chance to learn, share and network with each other. These leaders are participants in the British Council’s InterAction programme – people who have a dream for Africa and are already working towards change in their communities. They were given the opportunity to engage in an international network of influential leaders and use simple and effective tools provided by the British Council to develop their skills.

The meeting also aimed at strengthening the leadership skills of people who play an essential role in the building of trust, the management of peace and promotion of social change. The British Council hoped that another outcome of the meeting would be a deeper understanding and trust between people in the UK and African societies.

InterAction is a British Council-developed programme that supports emerging African leaders. It is currently running in 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, involving men and women from different backgrounds and community sectors who are interested in community development and personal leadership development.

InterAction engages participants in conversation about the ‘the negative image of Africa that is being portrayed to the world, Africa’s contribution to the world, and individual assumptions about the continent’. It also focuses on leadership skills and empowers individuals to explore opportunities that will lead to new perspectives on Africa.

The programme works with leaders who are committed to the continent, want to see a prosperous Africa and believe they have a role in making that happen.

InterAction Regional Manager Samantha Chuula says the Johannesburg meeting looked at causes of mistrust and conflict.

‘InterAction is not about teaching leadership skills; it’s about leaders coming together to look at their own leadership skills, and reflecting on how they make decisions about the world they live in and the way they lead.’

British Council InterAction Project Manager Lion Pasha says participants in the meeting learnt from each other.

‘The meeting was attended by senior managers who work in trust-building organisations; this will enable participants to share skills and approaches that are relevant to dealing with conflict resolution within different cultures and religions.

‘The meeting enabled men and women from all walks of life to engage and deal with the challenges that Africa faces by honouring success and learning from what has worked and is working in Africa.’

On the agenda were topics like: Systems Thinking, Ubuntu, Passions and Principles, The Art of Questioning, Communication, Assumptions, Listening and Refraining.

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