The Godwin-Ternbach Museum at Queens College hosted a screening of the documentary “Behind the Rainbow” on March 16 as part of the Year of South Africa. Jihan El-Tahri directed the documentary, which was released in 2009. El-Tahri, who is Lebanese, is a producer and news correspondent for Reuters. “Behind the Rainbow” shows the reality of life in South Africa after apartheid. The film chronicles the political history of the African National Congress party that rose to power after apartheid. In 1994, after South Africa’s first democratic elections, ANC came to power. The first challenge for the party arose when they debated how to properly purge the governmental ranks of the…
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Witnessing the end of apartheid through a former diplomat’s eyes
Former Greek ambassador Loucas Tsilas spoke at Godwin-Ternbach Museum in Klapper Hall on Nov. 12 to reflect on his time in South Africa during the end of apartheid. The lecture was a part of the Short Course on South Africa series, which coincides with the Year of South Africa at Queens College. Tsilas’ talk highlighted the historical lessons from the dark period in the country’s history. “It is so refreshing and thought-provoking to discuss these issues,” Tsilas said. In South Africa, apartheid, which divided society by race, was implemented in 1948 and dismantled in the beginning of the 1990s after pressure from international countries and resistance from inside the country.…
