Every year it will renew its leaves. It will give beauty, not only to us, but to those who live after us. And, in the same way, when we plant a tree in memory of somebody, we know that that memory will live on. We know that, every time we see that tree, it will remind us of the person who died or was hurt. It will remind us that there are ways of turning our grief into something good and strong and beautiful.
Trees can also bring people together.
They can be a symbol of reconciliation in communities. In KwaZulu-Natal, for example, there will be a tree planting ceremony attended by people from both sides of the conflict. But it will also be a symbol of what we want to remember about the past. It will help us remember what happened in our communities. It will be a memorial to those who suffered, grieved or died.