Ambassador Sejosingoe delivers remarks at the Women Who Change the World event

Ambassador Sejosingoe delivered remarks at an event entitled Women Who Change the World held in Horní Bezděkov on Sunday 22 March 2026 where she was the special guest. The event was hosted by Ms Lucie “Nozizwe” Jiyane, a laureate in the 2025 Women Changing the World Awards.

The Ambassador’s remarks were followed by a debate with the participation of Ms Kamila Paličková, Founder of the Women Changing the World Awards, Ms Lenka Štastná, Business Elevator, and Ms Jiyane.

Ambassador Sejosingoe delivering her remarks.

Herewith the full text of Ambassador Sejosingoe’s remarks:

QUOTE

My dear sisters, distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen.

Today, as I stand before you, I feel the quiet electricity of a room filled with women who carry stories — stories of courage, of heartbreak, of reinvention, of triumph. Stories that have shaped families, communities, nations, and the world.

We gather to honour Women Who Change the World, but we also gather to honour something deeply personal: The strength it takes for a woman to live her purpose.

Purpose is not always loud.

It does not always arrive with clarity.

Sometimes it whispers.

Sometimes it hides behind fear.

Sometimes it breaks us open before it builds us anew.

But when a woman finally steps into her purpose — fully, unapologetically, and with her whole heart — she becomes a force that cannot be contained.

The Strength of Women: A Universal, Timeless Power

In South Africa, we say:

“Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo.”

You strike a woman, you strike a rock. This is not a slogan of defiance — it is a truth about our nature. We endure. We rise. We transform.

The great Winnie Madikizela-Mandela reminded us: “I am the product of the masses of my country and the product of my enemy.” Her life teaches us that purpose is shaped not only by what nurtures us, but also by what challenges us.

From the Czech Republic, I draw strength from the words of Madeleine Albright, born here in Prague, who said: “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Her journey reminds every woman that purpose requires voice — and voice requires courage.

And the Nobel Prize–winning writer Olga Tokarczuk offers us this tender wisdom: “Tenderness is the most modest form of love. It is the ability to feel with others.” Her words remind us that purpose is not only about achievement — it is also about connection, empathy, and the quiet ways we lift one another.

From South Africa’s own poet Lebogang Mashile, we hear: “Women must rise. We must rise for ourselves, and we must rise for each other.”

These voices — South African, Czech, global — echo the same truth: Women’s strength is not a single quality. It is a constellation.

What Does Strength Look Like in a Woman Living Her Purpose?

Resilience and Adaptability

Women bend, but we do not break.
We reinvent ourselves — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of courage.
We adapt not because we are weak, but because we are wise.

Authenticity and Self Validation

A woman living her purpose no longer waits for permission.
She validates herself.
She honours her truth, even when it is inconvenient or misunderstood.

Purpose Driven Decision Making

Purpose gives clarity.
It helps us choose what aligns with our spirit — and release what drains it.
It teaches us that “no” is also a complete sentence.

Nurturing and Collaborative Power

Women build communities.
We create safety.
We hold space for others to grow.
Our leadership is not domination — it is elevation.

Spiritual and Inner Grounding

Every woman I admire — in South Africa, in Czechia, across the world — carries a quiet inner anchor.
Call it faith, intuition, ancestral wisdom, or inner knowing.
It is the compass that guides us back to ourselves.

How Do We Cultivate the Strength to Live Our Purpose?

Letting Go of Perfection. Perfection is a cage. Purpose is freedom. We grow when we allow ourselves to be human — beautifully, courageously human.

Setting Boundaries

A woman who knows her purpose protects her energy.
She knows that boundaries are not walls — they are doors that open only to what nourishes her.

Continuous Growth

Purpose is not a destination.
It is a lifelong unfolding.
We grow through learning, through unlearning, through reflection, through community.

Sisterhood

No woman rises alone.
We rise because another woman held the door open.
We rise because someone believed in us before we believed in ourselves.

A Final Reflection

My dear sisters,

Every woman in this room carries a purpose that is uniquely hers — shaped by her history, her wounds, her joys, her hopes. And when women live their purpose, the world becomes more humane, more just, more beautiful.

As the Ambassador of South Africa to the Czech Republic, I have witnessed the brilliance of Czech women — in diplomacy, in business, in academia, in the arts. Women who lead with intellect, with heart, with humility. Women who remind me that purpose is universal, but its expression is deeply personal.
Today, let us honour the women who came before us, the women who walk beside us, and the young women who will follow us.

Let us remind them — and ourselves — that purpose is not a destination. It is a journey of becoming.

May today’s gathering give each of us the courage to live more boldly, more truthfully, and more tenderly.

Thank you.

Ke a leboga. Ndiyabulela. Ngiyabonga. Děkuji.

UNQUOTE

Ambassador Sejosingoe with (from left to right) Ms Jiyane, Ms Paličková and Ms Štastná.

Ambassador Sejosingoe officially opens the 22nd season of the Creative Africa Festival

In her capacity as Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors in the Czech Republic, Ambassador Sejosingoe officially opened the 22nd season of the Creative Africa festival held at the Kolowrat Theatre in Prague on Sunday 8 March 2026.

In attendance were members of the Diplomatic Community in the Czech Republic, senior officials from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts, the French Institute, the UNESCO-Prague City of Literature and members of the African community in Prague.

The annual festival is organised by Creative Africa, a Czech association focusing on promoting African arts, literature and cultural exchange within the Czech Republic under the leadership of Ms Lucie Nemeckova, who is also the Director of the festival.

Ambassador Sejosingoe delivering her opening remarks.

Herewith the full text of Ambassador Sejosingoe’s remarks:

QUOTE

Dear guests, artists, partners and friends

It is a profound honour to stand before you this evening, in my capacity as the Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, to open the 2026 Creative Africa Festival. This festival has become a vibrant bridge between Africa and the Czech Republic — a space where creativity becomes diplomacy, and where art becomes a shared language of understanding.

This gathering is more than a celebration of artistic expression. It is a testament to the power of culture to connect peoples, to challenge perceptions, and to illuminate the depth and diversity of the African continent. Through music, film, literature, fashion, and visual arts, Africa tells its story — a story of resilience, innovation, and a boundless capacity to imagine new futures. And through your presence here today, Prague affirms its openness to listening, learning, and collaborating.

Today, we also mark International Women’s Day, whose 2026 theme — “Give to Gain” — invites us to reflect on the transformative power of generosity, collaboration, and shared upliftment. For women, especially African women, this theme resonates deeply. It reminds us that when women give of their creativity, their leadership, their wisdom, and their courage, societies gain strength, communities gain stability, and future generations gain possibility. African women have long embodied this principle. They give not to diminish themselves, but to expand the world around them. They give knowledge, and we gain continuity. They give creativity, and we gain culture. They give leadership, and we gain progress.

As the renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reminds us, “Culture does not make people. People make culture.” And women — through their stories, their artistry, and their lived experience — have always been among the most powerful makers of culture. And in the words of President Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopia’s first woman president, “If the history of Africa was written by Africans and by women, I think we would find many unsung heroes.”

Today, we honour those heroes — the women whose creativity has carried our cultures forward, often quietly, but always powerfully. From the storytellers who safeguarded our oral traditions, to the artisans whose craft shaped our communities, to the contemporary innovators redefining global art and design — African women have always been at the heart of our creative renaissance. And as we celebrate women here today, we also hold in our hearts the women across the world who create in the midst of hardship. In regions affected by conflict and instability, women continue to paint, write, sing, weave, and teach — often quietly, often courageously. Their art becomes a form of healing, a way of preserving memory, a bridge between what has been lost and what can still be imagined. In places where the world sees only struggle, these women remind us that creativity is not a luxury of peace, but a lifeline of humanity. In the spirit of “Give to Gain,” they give the world something profound: the assurance that even in the harshest conditions, the human spirit can still rise, still imagine, still create. And in return, we gain stories of resilience, beauty, and hope that enrich our shared global culture.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Creative Africa Festival stands as a testament to the growing partnership between Africa and the Czech Republic. It reflects our shared belief that culture is not a peripheral element of diplomacy — it is its beating heart. Culture builds trust. It fosters empathy. It opens doors that politics alone cannot. We, the African Group of Ambassadors, remain committed to strengthening these ties. We believe that cultural exchange enriches our peoples and lays the foundation for deeper cooperation in education, innovation, trade, and development.

Allow me to express our sincere appreciation to the organisers, partners, artists, and volunteers whose dedication has brought this festival to life. Your work ensures that Africa’s creative spirit continues to shine brightly here in Prague.

I would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Ms. Lucie Nemečková, Director of the Creative Africa Festival, whose vision and dedication have been instrumental in bringing us together this evening. Through her steadfast commitment to promoting cultural exchange and deepening understanding between the people of Czechia and the African continent, she has helped create a space where our stories can be shared, our creativity celebrated, and our common humanity affirmed. Her leadership stands as a reminder that when individuals invest in building bridges across cultures, entire communities are enriched.

As we open this year’s edition, I invite all of you to immerse yourselves in the colours, rhythms, textures, and stories that define the African continent. May this festival inspire new connections, spark new ideas, and remind us of the beauty that emerges when cultures meet with respect, curiosity, and shared purpose.

On behalf of the African Group of Ambassadors, I declare the 2026 Creative Africa Festival officially open.

Thank you.

UNQUOTE

Mr Abdon Fortuné Koumbha, Director and Ms Rebecca Kompaoré Tintindé, actress in the theatrical performance of the evening entitled “Take it or leave it”, together with Ms Lucie Nemeckova, Director of the festival on the right.