On 13 March 2026 ACCORD hosted a dinner in celebration of the legacy of Mrs Graca Machel, marking her 80thBirthday and 30th Anniversary as an ACCORD Board Member. Mrs Machel joined ACCORD’s Board in 1995 and it the current Chair of the Board.
During the dinner tributes were paid to Mrs. Machel by Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women and former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa), Mrs. Monica Geingos (Chancellor of Kepler College, the Republic of Rwanda, and former President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development) Dr. Francis Deng (Former UN Under Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide) and Dr. Vasu Gounden (the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD).
The celebratory event, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, South Africa, brought together an array of family, friends, dignitaries and ACCORD Staff to honor Mrs. Machel. Delegates attending ACCORD’s closed High Level Dialogue of African Leaders & Africa-Europe Strategic Dialogue, held on 13-14 March at the Sandton Convention Centre, were also in attendance.
