David (Dawie) Jacobs’ journey began with a carefree childhood in the rural north-eastern Free State and took him to foreign capitals around the world − from close involvement with issues of justice, race, religion and politics in his own country to high-level discussions on these matters with foreign presidents. After a career in the Department of Justice, Dawie served as South African diplomat under apartheid and democracy. He held senior positions under both, among others as ambassador to various countries. A golden thread running through his journey is his passion for building bridges between individuals, communities and nations. Dawie is well known for his political commentary in various South African news¬papers over the years, as well as for his sports diplomacy – he has arranged a number of rugby tours to and from South Africa. He speaks English, Afrikaans, German and Spanish and enjoys photography, painting, writing, poetry and wildlife.