The Sacred and the Secular: The Same Sex Marriages Case – An Evening with Albie Sachs

On Monday night I had the privilege of hearing Albie Sachs talk about his involvement in legalising same-sex marriage in South Africa.  An amazing person, someone we can all learn something from.

See below for details on the event and some background on Albie Sachs.

The Sacred and the Secular: The Same Sex Marriages Case – An Evening with Albie Sachs

Organisation	The Human Rights Law Resource Centre
Date	20 September 2010
Description	The Human Rights Law Resource Centre (HRLRC) invites you to an evening with Albie Sachs, Former Judge of the South African Constitutional Court, on the topic of ‘The Sacred and the Secular: The Same Sex Marriages Case’.Sachs was appointed by Nelson Mandela as an inaugural judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He was a member of the National Executive of the ANC and played a crucial role in South Africa’s transition to democracy, including by contributing towards the drafting the South African Bill of Rights. Whilst in exile in Mozambique in 1988, Sachs was badly injured by a car bomb placed by South African security agents. He lost an arm and the sight of one eye as a result. As a judge of the Constitutional Court, Sachs was responsible for many landmark human rights judgments, including in relation to equality, non-discrimination and social and economic rights. In 1991, Sachs won the Alan Paton Award for his book ‘Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter’. He is also the author of ‘Justice in South Africa’ (1974); ‘The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs’ (1966); ‘Sexism and the Law’ (1979); and ‘The Free Diary of Albie Sachs’ (2004). Sachs’ latest book, ‘The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law’, will be launched in Melbourne at this seminar. Sachs is visiting Australia to deliver the University of New South Wales Law Faculty Annual Hal Wootten Lecture. Time: 5.45 pm for 6.00 pm to 7.30 pm.
Venue	DLA Phillips Fox, Level 21, 140 William Street, Melbourne
Cost	$30 ordinary; $15 concession
Contact	admin@pilch.org.au

The Sacred and the Secular:

The Same-Sex Marriages Case

with

Albie Sachs

Former Judge of the South African

Constitutional Court

Albie Sachs was appointed by Nelson Mandela as an

inaugural judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa,

from which he retired in 2009. He was a member of the

National Executive of the ANC and played a crucial role in

South Africa’s transition to democracy, including through

the drafting of the South African Bill of Rights. In 1988,

while in exile in Mozambique, he was badly injured by a car

bomb placed by South African security agents, losing an

arm and the sight of an eye.

As a judge of the Constitutional Court, Justice Sachs was

responsible for many landmark human rights judgments,

including in relation to equality, non-discrimination and

social and economic rights.

In 1991, Albie Sachs won the Alan Paton Award for his

book Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter. He is also the

author of Justice in South Africa (1974), The Jail Diary of

Albie Sachs (1966), Sexism and the Law (1979) and The

Free Diary of Albie Sachs (2004). His most recent book,

The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law, will be launched in

Melbourne at this seminar.

Albie Sachs is visiting Australia to deliver the University of

New South Wales Law Faculty Annual Hal Wootten

Lecture.