The Nelson Mandela Foundation has launched a coffee-table book detailing the events that occurred at the first Promise of Leadership Dialogue, held in March this year.

The dialogue took place at Helderfontein Estate, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. The aim of the dialogue was to bring together existing and emerging leaders in Africa to brainstorm ways in which they could address the challenges facing the continent.

Produced by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and published by South Africa: The Good News, the 'Promise of Leadership Book' is a seven-chapter work which looks at Africa's recent successes, while highlighting the challenges that continue to face Africa and the potential ramifications if leadership fails to deliver.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation's launch of The Promise of Leadership Dialogue brought together a range of past, present and future leaders to tackle the dynamic and challenging issue of "The Promise of Leadership".

Held in March 2009 and hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation's Centre of Memory and Dialogue, the event was part of a series that the organizers will continue to host to provide a safe space to tackle challenging issues.

The Promise of Leadership Dialogue focused on:

The event, said the organizers, was intended to be "controversial".

"Some participants will be full of idealism and promise, others will carry with them the mistakes of their own leadership and still others will be searching for hope embodied in new dreams. We will keep away from predictable speeches and will encourage critical debate. Our discussions and the solutions they produce will be richer for it."

The two days of dialogue sessions kept its focus on social entrepreneurship, human rights, the changing leadership landscape in Africa and the obstacles and opportunities in Africa's development.

Among the speakers at the event were the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, former President of Burundi, Pierre Buyoya, Deputy Prime Minister of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, and South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale.

Participants also included young men and women, "full of promise and ideals about their own future and that of their country" to participate in critical debate over the two days of the dialogue.

The 'Promise of Leadership Book' contains more than 20 contributions from respected thought leaders around the world, dealing with topics such as social entrepreneurship, gender issues, youth leadership, peace and reconciliation, environmental challenges, and the role of media and society in addressing the challenges the continent faces.

The keynote speaker at the dialogue, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is one of the notable contributors to the book, as are Graça Machel, the president of Mozambique's Foundation for Community Development; Nelson Mandela Foundation trustee Tokyo Sexwale; Microsoft Africa head Dr Cheick Modibo Diarra; and the chairperson of South Africa’s National Empowerment Fund, Ronnie Ntuli.

The book also contains case studies ranging from reconciliation programmes in Sierra Leone to new media innovations in Kenya.

The book is available at Xarra Online and can be ordered online at on the dot. For further information, contact the Foundation on +27 11 728 1000.