22nd Jul 2024 10:11AMI am extremely lucky to have been there at the Mackie Building at CPACS when the great man came. Kathryb Greiner said to that he didn't look his age! His reply, which had everyone laughing " Aah!!! BUT you see, I had just had 27 years of rest!!" Everyone in that meeting room was able to meet him personally, and he held each person's hand . He had the perfect knowledge of how much time to chat with each one. Perhaps the meetimg I write about followed on from the one with John Howard, but it was definitely in the CPACS building and all who were ther will never forget that day. Many years later, I was at a special function in the GREAT Hall and the man sitting next to me demanded to know if I had met anyone important or famous. I said I had been very much proud to have met Nelson Mandela at CPACS. He snorted that Mandela was a terrorist, and deseved to be hung. He stood up and got out . Others nearby expressed their displeasure and commented that he had done so much to forgive and forget.

The CPACS meeting is a very favourite memory, and at almost 92, there are many. Thank you for allowing me to share this.

We were all so entranced by this wondeful person. WE had all metv Desmond Tutu when he won the Sydney Peace Prize and it was he who recommended that Nelson Mandela visit the Centre forPeace and Conflict Studies when he came to Sydney. Another amusing remark was that 'His Rugby team who were about to play Australia, should lose by 1 point, so that he would get a good reception in Australia!