Kumi Naidoo 顧彌‧那都

Mr. Naidoo is a Rhodes scholar and holds degrees in politics and law. He has recently submitted his thesis towards a doctoral degree in political sociology at the Oxford University.

Currently Mr. Naidoo is Secretary General and CEO of the CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. He came to CIVICUS from his position as the founding Executive Director of the South African National NGO coalition (SANGOCO), the umbrella agency for the NGO community in South Africa. Prior to this position, he served in several leadership positions in the Adult Education Sector in South Africa. He is also a member of the commonwealth Foundation NGO Advisory Committee. 

Special Achievement

During the democratic elections, he served as an official spokesperson of the Independent Electoral commission and as the National Director, responsible for the training of electoral staff.

He has also been a freelance journalist, editor, and researcher. He has been active in the anti-apartheid movement since the age of fifteen. During the 1930s, he played an active role in student, youth, resident, and sport associations.

After being released from prison and charged for violating the State Emergency Regulations in 1986, he went underground for nearly a year before fleeing the country due to persistent police harassment. After the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990, Kumi returned to South Africa and worked on a voluntary basis in assisting to set up the African National Congress (ANC) as a legal political party.

 Mr. Naidoo initiated and led a wide range of education, development, and social justice initiatives within South Africa, including the National Men's March against Violence on Women and Children, the National Campaign on the Apartheid Debt, and the Electronic Media in Education Forum.