An Amazing Day with Justice Albie Sachs
March 6, 2009
On Wednesday, February 11, Facing History and Ourselves
proudly welcomed Justice Albie Sachs of the Constitutional Court of South
Africa to San Francisco
for a whirlwind day of events. A
longtime friend to Facing History, Justice Sachs is a world renowned jurist,
leading human rights advocate, riveting speaker and avid supporter of the arts.The day began with a roundtable luncheon and discussion at the Bar Association of San Francisco, moderated by Pamela Merchant, Executive Director of the Center for Justice and Accountability. More than 100 community members, including several from the San Francisco legal community, attended. Facing History is especially grateful to Honorable Rebecca Westerfield (ret.), whose leadership made the event possible.
That afternoon, Justice Sachs spoke at the California Supreme Court to a gathering of 200 justices, judges and other court personnel. His visit included a special tour of the court by Chief Justice Ron George and his wife Barbara.
Facing History and Ourselves Board Member Diane Jordan Wexler and Bruce Beron then hosted a dessert reception at their home in Portola Valley where 50 guests learned about Justice Sach's life and work.
Each event introduced Art and Justice: The Art of the
Constitutional Court of South Africa.
The book, edited by Bronwyn Law-Viljoen, showcases
the complex and beautiful artworks found in the Constitutional Court, which is the most
important building in post-Apartheid South Africa. Built on the site of a notorious prison that
once held Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, it is a memorial to South Africa's
history and a symbol of its extraordinary constitution. Justice Sachs has had a leading role in
collecting the art for the court and speaks eloquently about the notion of
bringing justice to life through art. He
shared insights and poignant stories with wisdom, grace and humor on a range of
topics, including an understanding of his own work writing the judgment in South Africa
in favor of same-sex marriage.Facing History and Ourselves owes a special debt of gratitude to Susie Richardson for hosting Justice Sachs as a guest in her home.
- More information and links to our work in South Africa
- Biography of Justice Albie Sachs
- Justice Sachs speaks at a Facing History event
- More information on our San Francisco office
