North-West University (NWU) alumnus Bongani Mahlangu represented South Africa at the
India Brazil South Africa (IBSA) virtual Youth Summit that took place from 26 to 28 August 2021.

This unique forum brings together India, Brazil and South Africa – three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges. All three countries are developing, pluralistic, multicultural, multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-religious nations. The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the foreign ministers of the three countries met in Brazil on 6 June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration. 

India, who is the current IBSA chair, hosted this year’s event.

The summit covered a topic each day: “Health of Youth” (focusing on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on young people), “Youth in Governance” and “Youth Development and Exchange Programmes”.

Bongani, who holds a master’s degree in economics from the NWU and who is a former president of the NWU’s Student Representative Council, was nominated by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) to represent South Africa and present on the topic of Youth in Governance.

“I spoke about the importance of advocating youth engagement and representation in decision-making structures and ultimately as decision-makers themselves,” he explains.  

“This summit was a curtain-raiser for the BRICS Youth Summit from 29 to 31 August 2021, for which I was also chosen by the NYDA to represented South Africa, along with other delegates,” says Bongani. 

NWU alumnus Bongani Mahlangu represented South Africa at the IBSA and BRICS Youth summits.