Students, staff and UWC mascot Cara join in on the Tai Chi session. Image: UPP Marketing Team

“Move!” came the emphatic call to students. “Move for health,” Prof Matete Madiba continued, to the applause of the crowd. “Move for wealth. Because health is wealth.”

The University of the Western Cape’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support addressed students, staff and guests as the campus hosted a Move for Peace Day, which combined two global observances: World Move for Health Day and the International Day for Living Together in Peace. 

Prof Madiba emphasised how critical it is to take the first step as a long-term investment for a healthier lifestyle and greater harmony. Held outside the iconic Jakes Gerwel Hall, the event brought together students, staff, and guest speakers in a shared space of purpose and community.

She thanked the UWC Peace Ambassadors, student societies and organisers for their collaboration in fostering a culture of peace on campus.

Prof Matete Madiba addressed those who joined the festivities for the Move for Peace Day. Image: UPP Marketing Team

Prof Robert Balfour, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, spoke about the “UWC way” - a commitment to meaningful engagement, inclusion and shared experience.

“Peace and inclusivity must be lived before they can be truly felt,” he said, adding that living these values daily makes UWC genuinely inclusive.

Before guests started a Walk for Peace in the nature reserve, he invited participants to treat each step as a mindful reflection, bringing mind and body together in movement and solidarity. He urged the community to practise “gentle generosity” by being present for one another and sharing the journey.

“Peace is not automatic. It’s a conscious choice - one we must make again and again, choosing it over self-interest. Peace must be chosen - and shared.”

Prof Robert Balfour and Dr Leigh-Ann Naidoo have a chat while on the Walk for Peace through the Nature Reserve. Image: UPP Marketing Team

Guest speaker Dr Leigh-Ann Naidoo, UWC alumna and social justice activist, challenged the audience to consider peace’s deeper meaning.

Drawing from her activism and a 2016 humanitarian mission to Gaza, she reminded the community that peace is inseparable from justice. “Institutions are not neutral,” she said. “We cannot be peaceful and privileged if we know that things are unequal.”

She praised UWC’s academic boycott of Israeli institutions involved in the Gaza conflict, calling it a courageous stance: “This is the power we have - to stand against injustice through democratic means.”

The day’s programme reflected UWC’s diverse community. Highlights included a high-energy cheerleading performance, a calming Tai Chi session by the Confucius Institute, the signing of a Peace Declaration, the release of white balloons, the Walk for Peace, and a plant sale hosted by the UWC Nature Reserve Nursery.

WATCH: UWC students, staff Move for Peace

Later, Dr Laetitia Permall, Director of the Ubuntu Peace Programme, said: “Today reminds us of what’s possible when we come together with intention, purpose and care.”

She described the programme’s role in fostering leadership through personal mastery and empowerment. Initiatives like The Peace Game encourage students to own their healing and growth - and extend peace outward, challenging divisions of race, class, gender and belief.

The University’s declaration of peace. As activities at the Jakes Gerwel Hall concluded, everyone was encouraged to sign the banner. Image: UPP Marketing Team

Dr Permall shared that students have led community projects, supported rural learners, served meals to families and launched NGOs. She highlighted the Kasingape Sanctuary, created as a space for wellness and reflection, as one of the programme’s contributions to nurturing inner peace.

She smiled as she quoted a student: “They sprinkle kindness like confetti,” perfectly capturing the spirit of UWC’s Peace Ambassadors, who spread compassion, courage and connection wherever they go.

As participants got ready to embark on the Walk for Peace through the Nature Reserve, Collen Kotelah, a BCom Finance and Accounting student, reflected: “Love isn’t just about peace; it’s about collaboration. Being part of this makes me feel more than just a student - it makes me feel like I truly belong to the UWC family.”

In the end, every step was more than just walking. It was about coming together, connecting, and choosing peace - right here, right now, together.