Speaker, there is no question that there are enormous challenges in the world today at all levels of society, ranging from mounting economic crises to military conflict, terrorism and generalised human rights abuses. We are even witnessing alarmingly undemocratic outbursts in the very countries that have been the cradles of democracy and human rights protection.
The real question is what South Africa can do to make our world a better place to bequeath to our children. We cannot exercise a measure of economic power greater than many of the other countries in the world. We cannot exercise military power or financial power greater than that. In all these areas, we are limited by the circumstances of history and our own condition. However, we are not limited in respect of moral influence. We can and we must excel in exercising moral leadership in the world.
This requires pursuing the human rights agenda and holding dear the values of maximum democracy and freedom, even when other countries are subjecting these values to restriction, allegedly for reasons of national security or national interest. We must turn South Africa into the world capital of human rights protection.