In commemoration of the late Paddy Kearney’s 81st Birthday Anniversary, the Gandhi Development Trust and Phoenix Settlement Trust, in partnership with the Denis Hurley Centre and the Durban University of Technology (DUT) will host the Annual Paddy Kearney Memorial Lecture at 14H00 on Sunday, 27 August 2023 at the Denis Hurley Centre.

The keynote speaker will be the Director of the Denis Hurley Centre, Raymond Perrier. He will draw on his recently accepted PhD thesis titled: “Paddy and the Gandhi Heritage” to explore the roots of Paddy’s activism. His focus will be particularly on the way in which Paddy Kearney was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Perrier was appointed as the Director of the Denis Hurley Centre in 2015.

The late Paddy Kearney was a renowned anti-apartheid and human rights activist, and he was a peace icon. He was a devoted disciple of the late Archbishop Denis Hurley, who was a prominent figure in the Roman Catholic Church in South Africa and an outspoken critic of apartheid. The Denis Hurley Centre was Paddy Kearney’s final major project before his passing almost five years ago. The late Paddy Kearney would have celebrated his 81st birthday on Monday, 28 August 2023.

Kearney was deeply involved in community development, social justice initiatives and interfaith dialogues. He worked closely with a number of organisations that aimed to assist disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

According to Perrier, each year, the Centre commemorates his birthday with a memorial lecture.

“This year’s lecture will be followed by a tea party, to enable those who knew and loved Paddy to celebrate his birthday. Entrance is free and there is safe paid parking behind Emmanuel Cathedral. Books about Paddy and Hurley will be on sale with payment via cash and Zapper,” said Perrier.

Amongst the distinguished guests expected to attend are Dr Ela Gandhi, Chairperson of the Gandhi Development Trust; Member of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Legislature, Maggie Govender; DUT’s International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) Director: Professor Alain Tschudin; as well as many friends, family and well-wishers of the late Paddy Kearney.

The Denis Hurley Centre aims to continue the work of both Hurley and Kearney by providing support to the homeless, refugees, and other vulnerable groups.

Pictured: Raymond Perrier, Director: Denis Hurley Centre and the late Paddy Kearney.

Simangele Zuma