Speech by the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Patricia
de Lille: On the occasion of the International Astronautical
Congress
3 October 2011
The Hon. Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe,
The Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor,
The Hon. Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Rob Davies,
The Honourable Minister of Communication, Roy Padayachie,
Delegates to the 62nd International Astronautical Congress,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
This is truly a historic moment for us as a city and a country.
For the first time, the International Astronautical Congress is taking place
on African soil.
We are honoured that South Africa plays host to this moment.
Furthermore, we are deeply honoured and indeed privileged to welcome
you all to Cape Town.
In the 21st century, the entire world looks to scientific solutions to aid us
in addressing the challenges we face.
The exploration of such solutions is a reflection of our combined
commitment to providing modern solutions to old problems in the hope of
relief.
The science that guides us and aids us is pervasive.
It’s effects are felt in ways seen and unseen.
But through it all, there remain those scientific endeavours that
demonstrate the pinnacle of human achievement.
For millennia, space seemed an unknowable quantity to our forebears,
inaccessible, remote and mysterious.
Understanding of it seemed the preserve of mystics and poets and as
time passed, it grew ever more remote.
Through time, we have had various understandings of space, through
particular theories of understanding our solar system and its movements.
From earth-centred theories, to the music of the spheres, our knowledge
grew.
Until at last, with the dawn of modern physics, it seemed that we could at
last understand, to some degree, the universe in which we live.
The application of modern physics to the study of space opened up new
vistas for us.
The journeys beyond our atmosphere could be argued to be the pinnacle
of human achievement.
But we know that such displays of human invention were only the
beginning.
Today, our lives, from the way we communicate to the way we receive
information, are reliant on the technology of space sciences.
And we are better for it.
There are exciting times ahead as we explore this great undiscovered
country, the frontier of possibilities.
But we are moving forward every day to such a degree that we can even
speak about the history and the politics of space.
We in South Africa wish to play our part by hosting the Square Kilometre
Array (SKA) and contributing to the sum total of human knowledge.
There remains for us a universe the longing for which binds us all into
something greater than any of us.
Indeed, the aspiration to reach reminds us that we are all one people
bound by a mutual fascination and curiosity.
Such powerful forces let us move together as one world, bravely going
forward into the future and whatever lies there for us.
I welcome you to Cape Town and hope your deliberations are fruitful,
meaningful and rewarding.