07/05/21

Q&A: refugee rector targets racism

Debora Kayembé
Debora Kayembe于3月担任爱丁堡大学的校长。版权:由Debora Kayembe提供

速度阅读

  • 刚果律师Debora Kayembe是爱丁堡大学的第一位非洲校长
  • She was elected for the role after campaigning against racism in Scotland
  • 根据她的要求在大学中为非洲学生建立一个计划

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人权律师Debora Kayembe逃离刚果民主共和国(DRC)的不安全感后,在苏格兰定居了十年。

Living in Edinburgh, Kayembe says she was regularly the victim of acts of racism which went as far as sabotaging her car. But when these extended to her nine-year-old daughter, asked to perform a slave dance in front of classmates, it was the last straw.

Taking things into her own hands, Kayembe filed a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for anti-racist standards to be introduced into theeducation system– a petition well received by parliamentarians. She got involved in activism against racism, organising an event last year to denounce attacks on local ethnic minority communities.

“My wish as rector is to be exemplary, so that at the next opportunity they will not hesitate to elect another African to this post.”

Debora Kayembe, rector, University of Edinburgh

The campaign’s message clearly resonated and, to her surprise, Kayembe was subsequently proposed and elected rector of the University of Edinburgh where she took office in March, becoming the first African and the third woman in post.SciDev.Netspoke to her about her vision for the role.

您为什么决定申请成为爱丁堡大学的校长?

我住从大学20分钟车程lways walk past it, but it had never occurred to me to become rector. Then I got involved in racism issues here in Scotland and last year we hosted an event against attacks on non-Scottish communities. I believe that this is what interested staff and students at the university, because it was the student union and university workers union who contacted me to tell me that they appreciated the work I was doing.
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Because of the university’s involvement in the life of Scotland in general, they felt it was important that I could have this strategic position to drive the plans I had for fighting racism. So, this is not something that I had been looking for – it was brought to me and I’m so glad to have it.

在此职位上标志着您的头几个月的主要发展是什么?

对某些与大学有联系的人以及对大学有联系的老师有公众的抱怨,据说他们正在促进白人种族的优越性。人们现在正在开放并来找我谴责它。我知道那不是大学。作为一个机构,我们不鼓励或接受种族主义。问题是,您真的觉得它是真实的。有些人正在利用大学的超级大国实现自己的目的。
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The other thing is that we are coming out of lockdown and you have some youth who react very badly to the fact that we have been confined for a year and we see a lot of barbaric acts in the city. These are things I need to deal with urgently.

In light of this, what will be the priorities of your three years in office?

我想确保大学内部的工作人员和学生在大学内的工作得到重视和尊重。我还想帮助减少巨大的不平等现象,而Covid-19向我们展示了这一点。我想看看大学如何与思想领袖一起实现这一目标。我还希望能够通过创建一个特殊的改编计划来为想要进入爱丁堡大学的聪明孩子提供机会。

I also intend to set up a volunteer programme so that university students learn to give the best of themselves for others. It can help them to leave Edinburgh to go to other regions of the world to discover the lives of others and break a little this ignorance which is the basis of racism. But, above all, I would like to continue my fight against racism within the university.

Does COVID-19 risk compromising these projects?

I made these plans taking the pandemic into account. I have looked at where the pandemic is taking us as a society and these plans will help us deal with the pandemic as human beings. Because this pandemic is dissociating us from our everyday way of life. You can’t imagine how much Asian students are suffering today. They are accused, without reason, of having brought the disease to Scotland. And we will have to work on such problems.

Scientifically, how can Africa benefit from your position today?

There is the desire within the University of Edinburgh to work with Africa. The problem lies at the level of capacity and means in Africa. Because新冠肺炎在这里并且不会很快消失,我们将不得不促进数字工作。例如,刚果民主共和国在基础教育方面有一个严重的问题。40%的刚果妇女是文盲。
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Some African countries have made progress, but there is also the reality of infrastructure and training. These are things that need to be looked at slowly but surely. Perhaps during my three years in office I will manage to lay the foundations for a collaboration with the hope that whoever comes after me will continue the next phase. My wish as rector is to be exemplary, so that at the next opportunity they will not hesitate to elect another African to this post.

In terms of research and teaching, there is an immense richness in this university which Africa can draw inspiration from. I spoke with the student manager here and encouraged him to set up a special programme for African students who want to join the University of Edinburgh. This will be implemented from September 2021. There is a vast unexplored research ground in Africa. We are aware of this. Now, we have to find the right time and means as well as the platform to implement this collaboration.

What message would you give to Africans for whom you are an example to follow?

That Africans measure the value of their continent, which is the richest in the world, on all levels. Africans must protect Africa and stop fighting needlessly and work for peace. Governments must work for education because without education you cannot build anything.

这篇文章由Scidev.net的撒哈拉以南非洲法语版制作,并为简洁和清晰而编辑。